Guardian Angel
by Spiritstrike
Summary: Between '07 and ROTF: Jasmine Clark was just your average truck driver, but an accident causes serious injuries that changes her life forever. Will a certain truck her brother got her be able to help her overcome her misery of being spiritually damaged? Maybe it will take an even greater gift from the truck itself to help her realise that there is still so much more to live for.
1. Fortuity Strikes

**Spiritimus Prime: Meh, I felt like posting my first 2007verse fanfic. It may not be great, but hey, it's always good to have a first attempt at something that's still new to you, right? No, there are no pairings in this story in case you're wondering. This is more like a friendship that goes beyond the species boarder. Okay, lame words, but you get the general idea. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 1:**

**Fortuity Strikes**

The morning sun began to rise from behind the hills. The warm rays casting their light across the town that seemed to pierce curtains and getting into people's eyes as a new day started with tomorrow left behind in its wake. While it was always normal for such things, it was always an annoying time for some who were not early birds. From within a blue and grey house that was littered with a normal garden and a young oak tree that was only ten feet tall by human standards, an 19-yr old girl slept, her head was facing the wall of her room and her black hair covered most of her face to prevent the sun's rays from piercing her eyelids.

_Beep, beep, beep!_

The sound of the girl's alarm clock startled her as she jolted up right and her fist instantly bashed down upon the clock's top, causing it to become dead silent. "Man," she groaned. "Talk about a wake up call! I hate getting up this early… especially when it's only Saturday." Shaking her head and moving black hair out of her eyes that flopped behind her head like a black, unsettled waterfall, that looked twisted and out of line. The girl removed the covers from herself and tiredly glanced around her room, her green eyes blinking as she struggled to get the sleep out of them.

The room's walls were littered with tomboyish things such as trucks and supercars that included a CCX or an SSC Aero. While it seemed strange for a girl to have such a fascination for vehicles, it was even odder to hear that she had an interest in other boy things. Call her crazy, but what else was there to love?

Once the sleep had been taken cared of, along with her personal hygiene by taking a two minute shower, the girl quickly got dressed by putting on a black shirt that read 'I love trucks!' and a pair of trucker jeans and some socks and sneakers that looked a little old, but that was just the way that she liked to dress when she went to work. Sighing, she then rolled her eyes when she heard movement downstairs. Of all the nerves, her twin brother, Jason, had to be up already.

"Come on, Jazzy!" Jason's voice called. "You don't to be late again, do ya?"

Jazzy, or Jasmine as her proper name was, chewed her bottom lip in annoyance. "Alright, alright, Jason, just give me a minute would you!" she answered, her voice growling. While she may be short-tempered at times, her coolheaded twin brother, Jason, always knew when to step up and keep her in line. At times it was annoying, but she hid her love for her brother very well, and would never admit it that he was right most of the time.

Once she'd finished brushing her hair, Jasmine then bolted downstairs like a fit gymnast. Whistling past her Jack Russell Terrier, Mack, who yelped and barked in protest. Jasmine gave him a swift apology before rushing towards the kitchen to get her breakfast ready. She was a little surprised to see Jason preparing it for her. She lifted an eye brow at him in confusion. This was not like her brother to do something for her… not unless it was necessary.

"That's definitely not like you, Jason," she joked as she sat down at the table as he set her plate of bacon and eggs on the table in front of her. Jason was only 5'9 and had and green eyes like his twin sister, but he had short brown hair instead of black, and he had a muscle built body. Jasmine was only 5'7 and was pretty skinny, but still had some added muscle to her body. Both of them had fair white skin as well.

"I felt like doing breakfast for a change," said Jason. "Besides, you always cook breakfast for me, so I wanted to return the favour. You're always working hard 'round the clock since mom and dad died in that car accident."

Jasmine looked down at the table as Jason brought up the subject about their parents getting killed in a car accident that had happened several months ago. It had occurred when the twin had just left to go and start a life of their own together, not wanting to be separated from each other, and neither one of them had been the same since then and had only gotten closer to support one another through life.

"I suppose you're right, Jason. Maybe I am working beyond my limits… like usual," she said and shrugged her shoulders and dug her fingers in her long black hair. Sighing before digging into her breakfast, her thoughts then drifted off into her head as she thought about the accident. She may have not witnessed it, but she had heard that some black and white Saleen S281 patrol car was responsible for slamming into their parents' car, a silver Ford Falcon, and had killed their parents as quickly as the suffering had began. No one knew what had happened to the Saleen because it had disappeared before anyone could get a chance to read the number plate on its front.

"Just take it easy, Jazzy, okay," said Jason as he placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. Jasmine smiled up at her brother and her shoulders slumped, trying to please him. It had been difficult over the past several months since that accident, but their parents had left them a will if something might've happened to them. They had been given their house, their other vehicle that had not been involve in the car crash, which was a 2007 Toyota Camry, and a lot of money to help them get through their life.

Jasmine nodded as she finished the last bit of her bacon and eggs and thanked Jason for the breakfast, and she grabbed her purse and truck keys before giving Jason a quick kiss on the right cheek and bolted out the door, but not before she turned to him and said, "I might not be home until 4 P.M. Bossy-boots might keep me out for a while."

Bossy-boots was the nickname of Jasmine's boss, Kyle Handleson, who was a bossy, but kind, man who always wanted to keep his truckers working until he said that they were done for the day.

Jason nodded. "Just drive safely, Jazzy. You know how much vehicles scare me half to death," he said, his lips forming a thin line as he frowned at his sister. As much as he was coolheaded, he'd become fiercely protective of his little twin sister since the accident and Jasmine couldn't blame him for such matters. He was only looking out for her.

"Alright, I promise… big brother," Jasmine laughed and she waved goodbye to him before rushing off towards her Long-nosed Semi truck that she had gotten as her eighteenth birthday present from her dad. The truck was mainly red with silver flames decorated all over it. She cherished this gift dearly, and even had a habit of talking to it like as if it was a long-time friend and alive.

Jason considered this as insanity, and he often teased her about this habit. Jasmine would reply with a snort and would say that he was being ridiculous.

Because of the silver flamed decorations on the truck's bonnet and sides, she named it Silverflame. As odd as it was, Jasmine didn't care if anyone thought she was crazy. She loved her truck dearly, and she would never sell it, even if someone offered her the highest price in the world. Why would she want to sell the last gift that her father had given her before the accident? Yes, the accident had happened the day she had turned nineteen. It had been the worst day of her life and she chose to seek sanctuary in Silverflame and talk to it. The silence had always been welcoming, even if the truck couldn't hear or speak. She sometimes believed that Silverflame would listen to her every time she made conversation with it. As strange as it was, the bond between herself and her pride and joy was something that she cherished greatly.

Placing the keys into the ignition switch, Silverflame roared into life. The sound of the engine was not too loud or too quiet; it was sweet music to her ears. Peering out the window, she waved goodbye to Jason and he waved back as she pulled out of the driveway. The impressive flamed body of Silverflame glowing in the warm sun as it disappeared into the distance.

* * *

"Ah, you're right on time, Miss Clark," said Kyle Handleson as he greeted the 19-yr old girl with a dip of his trucker's cap when she parked Silverflame in front of the shop that he owned called _Truck Stop_.

"Thanks, Mr. Handleson," Jasmine thanked as she dipped her trucker's cap as well towards her boss and hopped out of her truck. "So what have we got today?" she asked, glancing around at all the other trucks that were getting ready to take their loads to their destinations.

"Well, I've got you some building materials to deliver to an old warehouse on the outskirts of our town. Apparently some people called me that they wanted to renovate it, but I doubt that place will do them much good. It hasn't been used in the past five years because of it going out of business," Kyle explained.

Jasmine nodded. "Care to show me where the load is?" she asked.

"Yup, it's right this way," Kyle answered and he motioned Jasmine to follow her. They walked past several trailers until they came to a silver one with blue and red stripes. Jasmine could see some worker men just finished loading up a steel beam inside the trailer and closing up its behind.

Kyle then turned to Jasmine and handed her a clipboard. "This is the address for the warehouse, but I'm sure you've heard of the place before," he said, chuckling a little.

Jasmine laughed and nodded. "Not when I've got Silverflame with me. He knows the place like at the back of his tailpipes," she said, which earned a blank stare from Kyle. She cleared her throat and said, "I mean… yes, sir."

"Alright then, just go get that _bloody_ truck of yours and get going. Once you're done with the delivery, you can go home," Kyle said, surprising Jasmine. She looked at him as though he was the one insane. Oh well, at least she really hadn't gone bonkers with talking to her truck and thinking it was alive.

"Thanks sir, but I have a feeling you might change your mind about it," she joked.

"Just get going, _Miss Clark_," Kyle growled, his voice getting cold.

"Yes, sir," Jasmine replied and she did a mock salute before taking off in case Kyle really did decide to give her another job. She clambered into Silverflame and backed the silver and red truck in front of the trailer. There was clanking sound as someone hooked the trailer to the back of Silverflame. Looking through the rear-view mirror and seeing the given thumbs up by one of the worker men, she gave the same gesture and ignited the truck's engine once again before driving out the gate of _Truck Stop_.

* * *

"I don't know about you, Silverflame, but it seems to be a little hot in here, don't you think?" Jasmine asked, looking down at the radio. "And plus, we could use a bit of music." She chuckled and switched the air conditioner on and then the radio. She leaned back a little in the driver's seat and tapped her fingers on the steering wheel as her thoughts followed the beat to the music.

_**You can beat me, I'm a rock star**_

_**I'm rhyming on top of a cop car**_

_**I'm a rebel and my .44 pops far**_

_**It's almost over now, it's almost over now**_

_**Guess you ain't heard that we swallow guys**_

_**It's damn too late to apologise**_

_**When you see the mantle or when you see the skies**_

_**It's almost over now, it's almost over now**_

Jasmine felt the cool air rush against her skin faster. She'd completely forgotten about her problems. It was just her and Silverflame driving together on the highway that seemed to swallow up herself and her precious vehicle. Jasmine took a deep breath, letting her muscles relax for a moment. But then her green eyes widened when she spotted a blue and red Peterbilt truck that resembled her own and was driving at a fast speed. Following right behind it was a black GMC Pickup truck, a modified Hummer H2, and a fifth generation Camero.

_Where are those guys going in such a rush? Don't they know that they're going over the speed limit, _Jasmine thought to herself, but then she shrugged her shoulders and returned her attention to the road, but then she spotted an F-22 Raptor flying above her. Was it just her imagination, or was that plane getting a little too close for comfort?

Something was wrong with this picture, and Jasmine felt her heart rate increase. A shiver went up her spine and she chewed her bottom lip, trying to ignore the jet that was following her. The fear began to get worse when the jet roared over, creating a sonic boom in its wake and Jasmine instantly hit the break on Silverflame. The silver flamed truck suddenly stopped and she could hear the screeching wheels of other cars coming to an abrupt halt.

"Move it you _moron_!" someone screamed behind her. Jasmine ignored the cry and glanced up at the jet again. Wait a minute… how could it turn so fast? Her fears were answered when she noticed the jet heading straight towards her and she gunned it down. Silverflame took off, its wheels spinning out of control as the rubber burned against the road and it started off again at a fast speed. The jet zoomed above her again, just missing Silverflame's exhaust pipes on the top by a mere human inch.

The jet turned again and dived once more, its target locked on. _I've got you right where I want you, Optimus Prime,_ it thought as it prepared to launch a missile. Without further hesitation, a missile was launched from underneath its right wing and it darted towards the silver flamed truck.

Jasmine tried to increase the speed of Silverflame, but she'd reacted a second too late. One minute she felt sweat burning against her white skin, and the next minute, everything exploded right in front of her eyes. Flames coated Silverflame's trailer and bonnet as it swivelled out of control. Silverflame's front section was flung into the air, the trailer lifting halfway behind it while the back wheels of the trailer remained planted to the ground.

Silverflame landed on its wheels, but then was tossed onto its right side and glass shattered around Jasmine. Some glass got into her skin while bits and pieces were thrown everywhere around her as the silver flamed truck skidded across the highway, it's wheels spinning at a hundred miles an hour as it came to a sudden stop.

Jasmine's world had gone all hazy in her vision. Her head swam as pain erupted through her arms and legs. She could barely make out the sounds of other cars zoomed past her truck, trying to slow down. Blood gushed down her forehead and made her sight even hazier. Everything inside her hurt, she could barely even move and she realised that she was pinned by a slab of metal that had been part of Silverflame's frame from the window shield. If it had pinned her any further, she might've been stabbed in the ribs.

Just before her whole world went out like a light, she thought she caught a glimpse of a red Peterbilt truck with blue flames running on its bonnet and sides. More pain spread throughout her limbs and Jasmine whimpered. Slowly, she slipped into total darkness.

* * *

**Spiritimus Prime: I apologise for the swift entry of action, but what the hell? (shrugs) Um... anyway, that song Jasmine was listening to was Rock Star by N.E.R.D. I absoloutely love that song! (girly squeal) Ahem... I just hope you enjoyed this first chapter of my first attempt with the 2007 movie. Oiy, I don't think it will ever be as good as other people's attempt, but it is always good to have a go at something, isn't it? Stay tunned if you want to read more!**


	2. Bringer of Bad News

**Spiritimus Prime: This is both sad and shocking. I think I'm gonna have to change the summary on this, it obviously doesn't explain enough. Oh well. I'm glad that some people like this story so far. I'm gonna have to go and update Rise from the Ashes soon enough. I'm enjoying all this updating because I'm able to find the time to do so. Would it be great just to live my easy life? XD That's enough chat from me, just come and enjoy the... horror of a truckcrash result. XD**

* * *

**Chapter 2:**

**Bringer of Bad News**

Jasmine hardly remembered a thing. Her sight, smell, and sense of balance had gone completely numb to her entire body and the only thing she could do was touch and listen. Her whole body ached all over, but she could do nothing about it. Half of her mind was unconscious, but the rest were well aware that she was lying on a warm, but hard substance. She heard voices and things that she didn't understand, but one of them was deep and rang like bells through a church, and also filled with calming forces that made her feel secure. But there was so much going on that she could hardly tell where it was coming from.

"_Is she going to be alright, Ratchet?"_

"_I'm not sure, but from the looks of those injuries, I'd say that she'll have to be taken to a human hospital. I am capable of treating such things, but my fingers are too big to do such care at all. I'll have to take her to the hospital and ensure that they'll give her the treatment she needs."_

A deep sigh was heard from above. _"Very well, but do you need an escort to make sure that Starscream doesn't attack again?"_ the deep mechanical voice asked.

"_Yes, it would be wise. I'm sure you're capable of doing it, no?"_

"_Of course I will, Ratchet,"_ the first voice answered, making a huffing sound.

"_Be gentle with her, Prime,"_ said the second voice, which had changed from calm to concern. _"She may have suffered a head injury, but I'm not sure. She's unconscious in a few places, but I'm sure she can hear us."_

Another sigh from above emitted. _"It doesn't matter, Ratchet. We have to make sure that she gets proper medical treatment as soon as possible."_

Metal was grinded against each other, as if someone was nodding. _"Very well then. Let me transform and you can get her into my back."_

There was a shifting sound metal hitting metal and then sudden silence. Jasmine felt the substance move beneath her slowly until she felt herself sliding off of it. A wave of sudden terror gripped her heart and she shook violently. The feeling was overwhelming and she wanted to scream, but her mouth did not move, nor did her voice. She was completely helpless.

"_Why is she shaking like that?"_ the deep voice asked in concern.

"_It must be the shock that's overtaking her brain,"_ the second voice answered. _"We must be quick if she is to be alright. She's not even out of the danger zone. Hurry!"_

There was another sound of metal sliding against each other and a door closing. Jasmine felt something warm slide over her body and she knew that someone had placed something soft across her body. The violent shakes did not cease, but at least she was warm and safe from the freezing temperatures outside.

As soon as she heard a deep vibration, she sensed something gently rub her arm and then a prickling feeling was stabbed in her arm. She wanted to scream out in pain, but her jaw still wouldn't work. Was something causing it to stop, or was it something else? She wasn't sure, but she suddenly began to realise that her hearing and sense of feeling were beginning to fade off into nothingness. She was afraid, but her mind drifted off once again into darkness.

* * *

When Jasmine finally opened her eyes again, she was completely aware that she was lying on something soft and comfortable with a blanket draped over her body, its warmth keeping in her body heat and ensuring that she did not wake up with a chill.

She glanced around, but found she could not move her neck at all. She mentally cursed herself when the pain shot through her back like a bolt of lightning going down a pole. It passed as soon as it had started and she calmed down enough to use her eyes to look around instead. She realised that her arm was in a bandage and the top part of her head was wrapped up as well. She even felt her neck was in a bandage as well, including her right leg and abdomen. It seemed like she'd done more damage than she'd thought.

"Sis, you're awake!"

Jasmine's eyes darted over to Jason, who was sitting on a chair next to her bed, and she was embraced in a warm hug that sent security running through her body. She wrapped her good arm around her brother, returning the gesture.

When they let go, Jason returned to his seat and glanced at Jasmine. "I'm sorry about what happened to your truck, Jazzy," he said softly.

Jasmine felt something tighten in her chest and she looked away, unable to say anything. Her last gift from her father was gone, completely ruined by something that was beyond her understanding. Fear clutched her mind, but she let the touch slide. Without her Silverflame, she felt completely helpless and alone.

"Jazz, are you okay?" Jason asked, getting his sister's attention.

Tears filled Jasmine's eyes and burst out crying. "Why was he taken from me!?" she wailed. "Why did it have to be my Silverflame?"

Jason was at a total loss. He could do nothing as he watched his sister breakdown in front of him. He knew how much that truck meant to her, and he had called her crazy because of her sometimes thinking that it was alive and would listen to her better than he could. As crazy at seemed, it had been the last gift that their father had given to Jasmine. And Jason guessed that she liked to think that their parents' souls resided in Silverflame.

"I wish I could make it up to you, Jazz," said Jason gently, "but the doctor says that you may have suffered more than just physical injuries."

Jasmine calmed down and looked at her brother. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Jason wasn't sure how he was going answer his twin sister, but someone was going to have to tell her. "Jazz," he said slowly, "you may have suffered brain damage."

Jasmine felt her heart come to a complete stop. "B… brain damage?" she breathed.

Jason sighed softly. "The doctors are still looking into the X-rays they took while you were sleeping," he explained. "So far they've found out that you've broken a lot of bones including your ribs. That's why it's difficult for you to breathe." He motioned to her bandaged head. "They're checking your skull fracture and have told me the possibility that it may have done some ideal damage to your brain. They're not sure, but they told me just in case."

Jasmine felt a shake coming onto her arms and she tried to stop them. She was so afraid of the results that she began to believe that she may be considered as a freak amongst everyone. What would they think of her now? Would she get a new job? Could she still drive a truck, or perhaps move at all?

"Sis, it's okay," Jason said as he gently placed a hand upon his sister's hand, calming her down. "You'll pull through this, I know you will."

Jasmine knew that bad news may come in the end, but she did the best that she could to keep herself as calm as possible. However, it seemed like her body had other ideas and she found herself shivering violently every few hours. At first she believed them to be just tremors of shock. But as they continued, she began to feel a wave of panic overtaking her mind completely. She was utterly afraid of what may become of her.

When the doctor, who claimed his name was Dr. Michael Smith, walked into the room, he shook hands with Jason and then looked at Jasmine closely before he decided to give her check up. As he took out his stethoscope, he sent Jasmine a friendly smile that promised her that he wasn't going to harm her, and he listened to her lungs and heart.

"So how are we doing today, Ms Clark?" Dr. Smith asked, trying to start a conversation with Jasmine.

"I… I'm… alright," Jasmine answered, stuttering with her words and she growled in frustration at the complication with the words. She had never had any trouble with speaking before and she felt devastated. Was this part of the brain damage that Jason had told her about?

"Are you not experiencing any discomfort in anything?" Dr. Smith asked as he took out a clipboard and a pen.

"My… head… hurts," Jasmine replied. She could feel her hands balling into fists and she wanted to scream out in anger. She could hardly talk as much words as she used to. The hit came down like a tonne of bricks and she burst out crying again. "Why…?"

Dr. Smith smiled sadly, knowing that he was going to have to break the news to this poor girl. "Ms. Jasmine Clark," he said softly, "I believe you do have brain damage. From what we have seen, the skull has been fractured and some of the bone has damaged the receptors that normally allow you to talk like an ordinary human. Not only were those damaged, but your ability to move in the right arm has become… paralysed."

The shock came harder than Jasmine had expected. It was worse than a tonne of bricks, and it was worse than a tidal wave. The broken arm that she had suffered could no longer move or pick things up ever again. She felt helpless and afraid, and the fear could do nothing except creep further into her head like a spider stalking its prey through the night.

"Is there anything you can do, Dr. Smith?" Jason asked quietly. He could see the distress that his sister was in, and he was doing everything he could to calm her down. He hated to see her like this, but it only pained him even more.

Dr. Smith sighed. Why did he always have to come along and bring his patients the bad news? He hated seeing them in tears and it tore out his heart when he witnessed it. _God,_ he thought, _what did I ever do to deserve this?_ "The only thing we can do is find someone who can help your sister overcome the brain damage and a paralysed arm. The bones will heal on their own accord, but I believe the hardest thing to repair is her spirit."

Jason lowered his head, feeling like he would be carrying a heavy burden on his shoulders. He knew that his sister would need help coping from the injuries that she had suffered. Not only that, but she may never be able to drive a vehicle ever again. What could he do to make up for the loss that she was dealing with?

"I… want… to… go… home," Jasmine sniffed, getting the doctor's and Jason's attention.

Dr. Smith gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "You will get a chance to go home, Ms Clark," he said kindly, "but you'll need to allow your bones to heal, especially your head and your ribs. They were the ones that suffered from the most damage."

Jasmine sniffed again, but she nodded slightly.

"Our estimations of your bone healing will be six weeks," said Dr. Smith. "Your head may take the longest, but while you are under our care, we will do the best that we can to make you feel comfortable."

With his duty done, Dr. Smith turned and walked out the room, leaving the twins to mourn over the upsetting news. He felt awful for doing such a thing, but he knew that things may get a lot tougher for them now.

* * *

As Jason walked out of the hospital, he felt a pang of guilt hit the pit of his stomach. He didn't really want to leave his sister all alone in the hospital, but he had to think of his own needs at the current moment. He had been at the hospital for nearly two weeks since the accident and his sister had been unconscious for that long. He had never left her bedside at all, but the doctors had kept on pulling him away when they saw the black lines forming underneath his eyes. But, now that Jasmine was awake, he could finally relax and go home.

However, there was one problem for him. Jason did not have a car on his hands since he'd taken a taxi ride to get to his destination. At this time, the taxies would be all booked out and he could not help but feel stupid.

"Excuse me."

Jason jumped and turned to look for the speaker, but all he could see was a large Peterbilt truck with a blue chassis and red flames coating its bonnet. Confusion swept around his head and he looked around to try and find the person who spoke, but there was no one except himself and the Peterbilt. "I must be hearing things," he said out loud.

"No, you are not."

Jason whirled towards the voice, but he still couldn't see anything. "Okay, quit messing with me and show yourself!" he growled.

"Are you humans always this blind?"

Jason frowned and he turned towards the Peterbilt, lifting an eyebrow. "You can talk?" he asked, tilting his head to one side. It had never occurred to him to be talking to a vehicle, but this one was no different. But when he looked at the vent on the front of the truck, he realised that this was no ordinary truck.

"I can do more than just talk, Jason Clark," the truck answered with its deep, metallic voice. "I am much more than just a simple vehicle that is sitting before you."

"How did you know my name?" Jason demanded as he gave truck a quick kick with his foot. "I'll bet you're just stalking me so that you can do something to harm my sister."

The truck vibrated, but did nothing else. "I can assure you that I would never harm your sister," it answered. "How I know your name is quite simple. I looked you and your sister up through the World Wide Web."

"Oh great," Jason said sarcastically. "So you're a know-it-all, and a computer expert. That's very clever of you. But that still doesn't tell me who you are. Trucks do not talk, even though my sister likes to believe her truck, Silverflame, was possessed by our parents' souls for some reason. Why am I even telling you this nonsense? You're a truck and I'm supposed to be getting home."

The truck opened its passenger door. "Perhaps I can give you a lift and I can explain everything. How does that sound to you, Jason?" it asked.

Jason hesitated at the gesture. "How do I know that this isn't some kind of trick to let my guard down?" he asked.

"I did not ask for your trust, Jason. All that I want from you is your ears."

"My ears?" Jason asked.

"In your human speaking terms, I would be referring to you to listen to me talk. I have a lot to explain with Jasmine Clark's accident and I wish to know how she is."

"You were there when it happened?"

The truck gave a giant heave and Jason knew that it was a sigh. He took a deep breath and let it out before he climbed into the truck. He heard the door close behind him and felt seatbelts strap over him, tightening up a little bit to make sure that he was secure and safe. Jason was shocked to see that there was no one in the driver's seat, but he said nothing about it.

The truck roared into life and it drove out the car park of the hospital. It then headed west in the direction of where Jason and his sister lived.

* * *

Jason sat there in an uncomfortable silence. He wasn't sure what was going on or what this truck had in mind, but he knew that he would not rest until he got some answers as to why an F-22 Raptor would attack his sister just like that. It hardly made any sense to him, and he doubted it wouldn't until the truck spoke.

"Jason, we're here at your living quarters."

Jason jumped again when he realised that he'd been spaced out for nearly half an hour. The truck's door had opened and the seatbelts had unstrapped themselves. Getting out of the truck, he leapt onto the cement of the driveway and glanced at the vehicle with unsureness in his eyes. "Are you going to talk or not?" he asked a little impatiently.

The truck made a deep vibration and Jason got the feeling that it was laughing at him. "You are a strange human, Jason," said the truck. "Yes, we will talk, but not out here."

"What do you mean?" Jason asked.

"Can you open the gate to your backyard?" the truck requested. "I wish to talk about things with you undisturbed. I know that there can be prying eyes and ears sometimes in these streets."

Jason blinked and shrugged his shoulders. "If you say so," he said and approached the gate that led to the backyard behind the house. While it was not very big, it was still large enough to hold two trucks if they were parked side by side or in front of each other. He watched as the truck drove forwards and into the backyard before he followed in suit.

* * *

As the truck did a U turn until it was facing the house, Jason knew that he was going to be here for quite a while, so he found himself a chair and he set it down on underneath the veranda before he sat down, waiting for the truck to speak, but nothing was exchanged between them, nor did the truck say anything. "Aren't you going to talk?"

"I apologise for my silence, Jason," said the truck. "I was in another world at that time."

"Well, what do you know of the accident?" Jason asked.

The truck gave another sigh. "It would not be best for me to show you, Jason," he said slowly. "Perhaps it would be best if I show you my reasons for this privacy."

And before Jason even knew it, the truck's metallic plating began to shift and scatter into many different directions. Everything all became a blur to his eyes, but he watched in amazement as legs and arms began to form from truck's sides and undersides as well. He blinked as the truck's top released a head that was robotic in appearance and was navy blue in colour with electric blue eyes that had coverings that acted as eyelids.

Jason wasn't sure how tall the robot was, but his estimations of being 30ft or 32ft were his best guesses. He darted back in surprise when the robot got down on its hands and knees, its face leaning further and further until its nose was just mere inches from his own.

"Are you satisfied with the results?" the robot asked in the same deep voice that sounded male.

Jason blinked and rubbed his eyes, trying his best to not think it was a dream. _It's a dream,_ he thought, _it's just got to be a dream._

"I can assure you that this isn't a dream, Jason," said the robot, which made that same sound with the deep vibrations in his chest.

"How did you know what I was thinking?" Jason asked in surprise.

"I didn't," the robot answered. "Your body heat increased dramatically and that proved that you were under stress. Sometimes the human body can be quite interesting to my scanners."

Jason shook his head. "So what's your name, Mr. Robot?" he asked.

The robot frowned and his metallic lip plates tightened. "My name is not 'Mr. Robot'," he said a little sternly, but not unkindly. "My designation is: Optimus Prime."

* * *

**Spiritimus Prime: Yeah I know, I suck at describing transformations such as the movie ones. Every time I try to go into detail, I become lost in Optimus's transformation scene and it becomes impossible to write out. Oh dear lord, someone save me from this insantiy of Oppy goodness! Damn bot is so smexy! XD Enough talk, just please R&R about this, it drives me crazy to not hear anything. :O**


	3. The New Truck

**Spiritimus Prime: Yeah, sorry it took so long. I was so occupied with my other stories that I'd almost forgotten about this. NOT! XD Yup, this is just full of drama at the moment. If you're wondering where the other Autobots are, I can assure that they will be appearing soon, just give me a couple more chapters until then, okay? :D Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

**Chapter 3:**

**The New Truck**

Jason Clark was completely dumbstruck by the sight of Optimus Prime, who stood before him in his backyard. He'd expected him to be bigger than he'd imagined, but never this big. Of all the things he'd seen in his short life, this was truly a remarkable sight.

He shakes his head before he sits down on a chair that was sitting next to him. He continued to stare at Optimus with his eyes, as if he was trying to see into his soul. But Optimus's optics were just too hard to read, as if he was concealing every emotion so that no one else could see them.

"You have a lot of questions to ask, Jason," said Optimus in his baritone voice. "Do not be afraid to ask of what lies inside your heart. I am free to listen to whatever you wish to say."

Jason smiled faintly. This robot seemed to know what was on his mind, but he remembered that it had scanned his body heat. He nodded and he leaned back in his chair, glancing up at the robot, which blinked his electric blue optics with shutters that reminded him of human eyelids. "Okay, can you tell me what happened to cause the accident?"

Optimus closed his optics for a moment. He knew that Jason was going to ask that question sooner or later, but he had not expected it to be this soon. Nevertheless, he had promised to explain everything to him as best as he could. Somehow, this human seemed to have a gift of trying to look into his soul, but his experiences of keeping a calm look on his face… proved to backfire in Jason's face.

The Autobot Commander moved a little closer towards Jason until his nose was just a foot away from the human's head. He seemed so small and so defenceless compared to him, but his witness of Sam's courage to save his life, demonstrated to him that humans were capable of looking after themselves.

He took a deep breath, despite not having a need to breathe at all, and spoke in his calm tone. "Your sister's truck," he began, "was mistaken to be me by an arch nemesis of the Autobots."

He waited for a reaction from Jason, but the boy did not even flinch or even say anything at all.

Optimus then went into detail of what Starscream had done, and what he and his Autobots did to retrieve the girl's unconscious body from the rubble beneath the silver flamed Peterbilt truck that would've ended her life if Optimus had not pulled her to safety. Regardless of that, he knew that she may not remember who her saviour was, but he reckoned that she may have a few encounters in her memories.

When he had finished his story about the accident and after he had explained about the battle in Mission City, he closed his optics for a moment, still waiting for the reaction he expected from Jason. He had the feeling that the boy may get angry and try to kick and scream at him for having those stupid flames that were coated on his body, and for choosing a Peterbilt truck as his alternate mode.

Surprisingly, there was still no reaction.

He opened his optics and he saw that Jason had placed a hand upon his forehead. He scanned his body and he realised that his body temperature had dropped a little. He could see liquid forming on his forehead and neck, and his body was shaking a little. "Are you alright?" he asked. "Do you require medical attention? You're leaking lubricant from your forehead."

Jason removed his hand from his forehead and he glanced up at Optimus. He shook his head slightly. "No," he answered, "I'm just in shock, that's all."

Optimus tilted his head to one side, as if he was trying to make sense of what the boy had said to him. He knew that he still had a lot to learn about the human nature, but he decided that it could wait another time. Things were not exactly turning out as he had hoped. Yes, Jason was in shock, and he had been expecting that, but what he had not anticipated was his next reaction.

"Exactly why are you here? Why did you stay at the hospital the moment I had arrived?"

Optimus was indeed very surprised by the question, and it caught him completely off guard. He emitted a deep sigh, his broad chest lifting a little before it returned to its natural state. "I am here to talk about your sister's future, Jason," he answered softly, "She maybe in danger again the moment she steps out of that medical centre."

Jason was puzzled. "Are you saying that Starscream could come back and try to hurt her again?"

The Autobot Commander just nodded his response.

Jason stood up and paced in front of Optimus, who watched his movements in confusion. While it was strange to see this boy do such a thing, he knew that it was one of the only ways to express his impatience and annoyance. He waited for the boy to finish his pacing.

When Jason finally stopped, he turned and looked up at Optimus, and he noticed that the robot had put a hand underneath his chin and was busy looking ahead, as if his thoughts were wondering off somewhere else into a deep void of darkness. "Can I ask you something, Mr. Prime?" he asked.

Optimus snapped out of his trailing thoughts and glanced down at Jason with his electric blue optics. "Please," he said gently, "just call me Optimus."

Jason slapped his forehead and cursed himself angrily. "Sorry about that. Where are my manners these days?"

There was a deep vibrating sound from within the robot's broad chest and Jason realised that Optimus was laughing at him. Was it because of his mistake, or was it his attitude? He wasn't sure, but whether he liked it or not, he might as well as the question before Optimus decided he was not worth listening to.

"As I've said to you, Jason: do not be afraid to ask what lies in your heart. Or did you forget that saying?" asked Optimus as he tilted his head to one side again. This young boy was a very interesting character. No wonder why Jasmine and Jason were considered twins. Yes, they looked the same in appearance, but their personalities were a little opposite in every way he looked at them. Of course, that was not entirely the case.

The boy rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and he inhaled deeply. "No, I guess not," he said and chuckled before his eyes turned serious again, surprising the Autobot at his sudden change of mood. "Are you here so that you can protect my sister until you deal with this 'Starscream' guy, right?" he asked.

Optimus pushed his face further until it was just an inch away from Jason's. He knew that the boy was a little bit uncomfortable with this whole ordeal, but it was better this way.

The seriousness in his optics glowed brightly and he blinked his shutters as his breath came out like a gentle breeze, but with no odour involved in its wake. "That is entirely correct, Jason," he replied. "Until Starscream has been dealt with, your sister will be under my protection until further notice."

Jason rubbed his forehead, removing the beads of sweat that had been collected during the talk. Slowly, he stood up and turned his back on Optimus for a moment. If he agreed to this pact, then there was no doubt that his sister would be alright, but he knew that she was devastated with the loss of her arm and the hurt ran much deeper than anyone realised.

Sighing, he turned back to Optimus and he took a step forward, his right hand reaching out to the Autobot Commander. "I think Jasmine is hurting inside ever since she was diagnosed with brain damage and a paralysed arm," he said softly. "But, if there's anyone who can help her realise that things are fine, it's you who can do it. Something tells me that you'll be a perfect guardian towards her until she recovers from the accident.

However, I ask of one thing from you. Can you promise to look after her? She really misses our parents more than I do, and I know that she was closer to them than she was to me. She may not be able to drive anymore, but she maybe happy with having a new truck again."

Optimus's metallic lips formed a smile of encouragement. "I can assure you, Jason," he said softly, "that I will do everything I can to ensure her safety while she is under my protection, even if I have to sacrifice my life."

"Thank you," said Jason, "That's all I can ever ask from you."

There was a nod from the blue head and the electric blue optics blinked once more as he lifts a hand and his index finger shakes with Jason's hand. "Since I will be becoming her new vehicle," he said, "How do you propose that she'll react at the sight of me? Surely she would not be satisfied with me replacing her own Peterbilt that was destroyed in the incident."

Jason thought about it for a moment and he once again paced up and down as his right hand touched his chin during his pondering, and he never realised that Optimus's optics were watching him curiously again.

Suddenly, he stops as his fingers snap in excitement. "I think I've got it," he said happily.

Optimus lifted one of his shutters in the human expression of puzzlement. "Oh?" he asked, his deep baritone confused. "Would you care to… enlighten me?"

Jason beckoned Optimus to lean forward and listen. Optimus obeyed and he turned his head towards the human, his audio receptor now exposed to him, and he knew that the boy wanted to tell him something so that no prying ears could hear this ideal plan.

When Jason finished whispering his plan, Optimus pulled his head away and he could've sworn that his metal cheeks were heating up. Obviously this was an interesting plan, but he would have to play an embarrassing role, and it was something he never really liked doing in his long life anyway. "It seems like it would work, but are you sure that nothing bad will happen?"

Jason waved Optimus's question off. "Ah, don't worry, you'll be fine," he said. "Besides, I'm sure Jazzy will be very happy when she sees you and I waiting for her outside the hospital."

The gentle giant sighed and rolled his optics in annoyance. "Alright," he said faintly, "when does your sister come out from the medical centre?"

"From what Dr. Smith told me and Jazz," said Jason, "she'll be coming out in about… two weeks. It gives me plenty of time to set things up for her homecoming, as well as invite some of her friends from work, including her old friends from her high school."

Optimus inhaled deeply, filling his oxygen tanks, even though he didn't need to at the current moment. Heck, he didn't even need to breathe at all, but he just needed to do it for the time being. This was going to be a long period of two weeks… And it was going to be interesting as well.

* * *

For Jasmine Clark, during those horrible two weeks of healing from her truck accident, things were not looking too good for her. Throughout her time at the hospital, Dr. Smith could do nothing except try and sooth her that everything was going to be fine. But the whole building had become nothing but a hellhole to her and she wanted to leave this place as soon as she could.

But, that was easier said than done.

The operation, to remove the bone from her brain, had sent terror through her body like a wild fire passing through a forest at an alarming rate, which sent her heart pounding furiously against her chest. She was so afraid and so upset that she started kicking and screaming like a toddler going through a temper tantrum, and it had taken two nurses to try and calm her down before they inserted the needle into her arm that would send her into a deep sleep.

Coming through the operation had been the easy part, but waking up and realising that she was not at home… proved to be one hell of a nightmare. The recovering food was horrible, and the people drove her insane with asking her questions about how she felt and if she had suffered from any dizzy spells, or even went into unconsciousness. But, her only answer was a simple shake of her head.

Jasmine never felt like talking really. The only time she ever spoke a word was when Jason came by to visit her every second day of the week, creating a never-ending cycle of boredom and unhappiness for her.

A few times, however, Jasmine would suffer from light headaches and she would have to take painkillers to reassure the pain, but, most of the times it never worked much until Jasmine would weep in pain silently until her exhaustion from her crying would send her off to sleep.

She missed her brother dearly, but many times she had to spend the entire day alone and afraid. The pain of loneliness would never go away, nor would her headaches or the spasms in her paralysed arm, despite not being able to feel it being there at all.

Every single day, during the period of her time away from home, was nothing like those times she had spent her days with her truck, or with Jason. She sometimes wished that she was dead and did not suffer from anymore of those torturing pains and aches.

The whole hospital was no longer a sanctuary. Rather, it had become a devastating place of captivity and pain. Her freedom had been taken away from her completely until the period was up.

* * *

The warm Sunday sun shone brightly through the trees as the wind gently blew through their leaves, lifting them up and causing them to create a light whistling sound that was similar to the tone of a human's whistle, only quieter and less high-pitched than it actually was.

At the car park of the Tranquillity Hospital, Jason Clark was leaning against the front section of a blue Peterbilt truck with red flames engraved on its shiny frame and a… large red ribbon wrapped all from its sides where the doors were located.

The boy was running his fingers through his hair nervously. At this time of the afternoon, he knew that he should be in there to pick up his sister from within, but the doctors had assured him that they would be bringing Jasmine out to make sure that there were no problems at all. They had even told him that she might be a little unsteady on her legs due to having problems with walking again. It had, after all, been such a long while since she had gotten out of bed, but it seemed like things might improve.

The Peterbilt behind him vibrated from behind him, snapping Jason out of his thoughts, and he lifted his head to see what the problem was. Instead of seeing a problem, he saw a miracle.

Gently being led by Dr. Smith and using a walking stick in order to support herself due to her brain damage and getting used to walking again, Jasmine came out from the hospital's entrance. She was wearing black jeans, a white shirt, and her long brown hair was messed up a little from stress. Underneath her eyes, black rings surrounded them, telling Jason that she probably hadn't slept much since she'd first woken up in the hospital and learned what had happened to her.

Jasmine's paralysed arm was also supported by a sling to keep it in place until she'd gotten used to a useless limb.

Optimus Prime, who had quickly detected the presence of his new guard, sensed that Jasmine was in a terrible state at the moment. From her body readings, to her exhaustion, he knew instantly that she had been through a lot during her stay at the hospital. Unfortunately for him, it pained him to see her like this, but he hoped that, deep down, he may be able to find out to see what he could do.

The Peterbilt truck watched as Jason moved away from him and went to embrace his twin gently. He heard the human doctor talk about a few things with Jasmine's health and what he should do in case she suffered from a few things that she had had in the hospital, but he quickly turned off his audio receptors to give them their privacy. This was not his business, and he must respect that beyond all means necessary.

From the corner of his sensors, he noticed that the human doctor had handed Jason something. His optical scanners zoomed in on the item and he realised that it was a small bottle that contained antibiotics that was specialised in headaches and muscle spasms.

Suddenly, Optimus felt eyes lock onto him and he turned his attention to the one who noticed him. But, when his optical sensors saw the person, he felt himself shudder underneath that gaze that belonged to his charge. He had not expected her to be looking at him, but he sensed that she had not really noticed him, but was giving him a hostile look of distrust.

Was there something that the doctors had not told Jason? He wasn't sure, but he was bound to find out soon enough.

Jason thanked Dr. Smith for the antibiotics and he turned his attention to his sister. But he saw that she was eyeing the Peterbilt suspiciously. "Hey, Jazz," he said reassuringly as he placed a hand upon her shoulder, "I thought you might've noticed the new truck."

Jasmine tore her gaze from the truck and looked back at her brother. "Yes," she said quietly, "I did notice it. What is it doing here?"

Jason chuckled in a friendly tone and he led Jasmine towards it, but as soon as they were within a few feet from it, his twin sister had halted. Confused, he turned back to look at her. However, when he saw that hostile look in her eyes, he knew instantly that something was wrong. "Jazz, this is your new truck," he said, nodding towards the large vehicle. "I bought for you as a homecoming gift."

But when Jasmine turned to look at Jason, things simply got out of hand. "What makes you think I want a new truck?"

Both Jason and Optimus Prime (if he was in his robot mode) felt their jaws hit the ground in total shock.

* * *

**Spiritimus Prime: Me and my damn cliffhangers. I swear some people are going to kill me if I keep this up. XD Yeah, like I said, there's mainly a lot of drama in this. Some action, but not a lot. :) I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and please remember to R&R! :D**


	4. Patience is the Key

**Spiritimus Prime: I am so sorry I have not been able to update this story in a long time. It's been a stressful week and I'm not in one of those good moods of mine. I'm in Port Lincoln for the time being, but I'll be going back home next week. I'm doing my best to update my stories, but life just isn't making things any simpler than it is supposed to be. Anyway, just be glad I found the time to FINALLY finish this damn thing. Enjoy it, your patience deserves it and you earned it.**

* * *

**Chapter 4:**

**Patience is the Key to Success**

If Optimus Prime had been in his robot mode, he would've picked his jaw clean off the ground. Instead, he leaned forward a bit, his front bumper touching the ground a bit, and then jerked upward. Much to his surprise, neither Jason nor Jasmine noticed his sudden movement mostly because they were busy talking about something. Optimus tried not to butt into their conversation, but since this was about his damaged charged he had little choice but to turn up his audio receptors to listen in. He just hoped that he wasn't going to regret it.

"...I don't understand, Jazzy," started Jason as he placed his hands upon his twin sister's shoulders and giving them a light squeeze, "I thought you would've wanted a new truck. I know how much Silverflame meant to you, but I didn't think you would act like this."

_Discussing about the truck?_ Optimus thought. _That's a bit convenient._ Even as he listened, the Autobot leader remembered a few tricks about the human species. They were tricks that often led to false information, false information that could lead to the truth within the human body.

While he waited for Jasmine to say something, Optimus took off his brakes and moved a few feet before coming to a complete stop. Still Jason and Jasmine did not turn around to notice that the truck was not in its original place. He searched the Internet for a bit as he beamed an invisible scan on Jasmine, ignoring Jason's own body, but he decided to add him in just to compare it. If his guess was as good as correct, then there was a possibility that Jasmine was hiding something from both him and her brother.

"Look," Jasmine huffed, "that truck dad gave me was all that we had left of him. Silverflame was much more than just your average truck. He was special in his own unique way. Now that he's gone, what's the point in going off to buy a new one that looks exactly like him but has different colours?"

Optimus frowned. Was becoming Jasmine's guardian a big mistake? He didn't want to think about it. There just had to be an explanation for all of this, especially why Starscream would just go and attack an innocent bystander, who was completely unaware of the aliens that were now residing on the locals' home planet. Although Optimus felt he had the answer, he just wasn't sure if it was true or not. But first thing was first, get a scan of Jasmine's body to look for the truth beneath the eyes.

While a human can pull off many different facial expressions that matched the mood accordingly as well as the body, there were times when the face can actually lie about something. Optimus could read expressions like he was born to do it, or so said Sam and his Autobot warriors. Like the human saying went: 'The eyes were windows to a human soul'. But there was another saying: 'Looks can be deceiving'.

When Optimus had finished scanning Jasmine's body, he checked her bodily readings within. To his surprise, he saw that she was shivering a little, her body temperature had gone up a few degrees higher than its normal state, and her adrenal glands were off the scale. They were pumping adrenaline at an alarming speed!

This only meant one thing. According to the human physiology, when a human, or other organic creature, was afraid of something, their bodies would go into a wild stage of actions. The brain would release a hormone chemical into the body to prepare it for anything should something threaten it. The hormone would cause a variety of triggers, such as increase in heart rate, digestion slowing down to conserve energy, constriction of blood vessels, relaxation of the bladder, dilation of the pupil, and dilation of blood vessels for the muscles. This also included an increase in the sensors such as vision and smell, but it's was only temporarily. The humans called this the fight-or-flight response in a desperate attempt to protect itself from anything dangerous.

Now this made perfect sense to the Autobot commander. Jasmine wasn't hostile towards him, she was actually afraid of him. Did it all have something to do with the truck accident? Was she afraid to get a sense of déjà vu? Whatever it was that was bothering her, Optimus knew that he had to do something.

A gentle tap on his grill from Jason snapped Optimus from his thoughts. When he realised that the boy was not looking at him he became puzzled as to what was going on until he heard him speak directly to Jasmine. "Alright, Jazzy," he said, "we'll catch a taxi instead if it makes you feel better. I'll send a friend to come by and pick up the truck; he'll drive it home for you."

Optimus watched as Jasmine shrugged her shoulders and limped away on her walking stick back towards the hospital until she was standing beside a telephone booth. To the Autobot leader, she looked like one of the elderly already with that strange stick supporting her injured state. He wondered if she would ever be able to walk again, but he highly doubted it with the way she was hobbling. He suddenly became aware that Jason was looking at him.

"I'm sorry, Optimus," the twin brother whispered to the truck, his blue eyes filled with distress, "I didn't think about her reaction towards you. I don't know what's gotten into her. She's been mostly quiet at the hospital and never says a word to me about anything. The nurses say she's been drawing robotic figures ever since she had woken up."

"Perhaps," said Optimus gently, his tone low and soft, "she is trying to get a clearer image in her head about who her saviour was. You and I both know that I was the one who pulled her out of the badly damaged truck after Starscream had attacked her, mostly mistaking it for me."

"That's got to be one of the reasons I suppose," Jason replied. "I saw one of the drawings that the nurse showed me and it was almost a complete replica of you. There's no mistaking the battle mask, the blue eyes and the red and blue flames. She seemed desperate to find out who it was that pulled her out of the debris."

A deep sigh was heard from the grill of the truck. "Jason, my secret of who I really am stays between us and only us. It is not that I do not trust you. I can tell that you are a good human and would do anything for your sister. You proved that to me by showing how much you cared about her by letting me be her vehicle."

Jason chuckled and removed his hand from the grill. "That's because you saved her life and requested to be her guardian. How could I refuse someone who just so happens to be a giant robot when I know that he's a good guy and could protect her from another encounter with Starscream?"

"You made a good point," Optimus replied. "Even though I never ask for nothing in return, I only wanted to see the ones I save happy. My friends are that example."

The young man smiled and frowned a bit, as if he was thinking about something. "Speaking of guardians," he said. "I know that you can drive yourself and all, but how are you going to get yourself back to us without a driver? It's... very strange to see a driverless vehicle."

"That is where this comes in," was the simple reply. Before Jason even knew what was happening, a man was standing right beside him. The man stood at a height of 6'0 and appeared to be in his mid-thirties. He wore a trucker red jacket with a deep blue shirt underneath and blue jeans. He even had, strangely, cobalt blue eyes with short brown hair that reached the back of his neck, which had tints of blue and red on the edges. Jason guessed that they acted as the flames that coated the Peterbilt's frame.

"What do you think?" the man asked as he looked down at Jason with his kind blue eyes.

Jason blinked. _What the hell?_ "Who are you?" he asked curiously.

"Jason," said the man, the voice oddly familiar, "it's me, Optimus Prime."

The young man jumped back in surprise as he looked the older man up and down in confusion. He had never seen anything like this before. He then turned to look back at the Peterbilt, but, much to his surprise, the vehicle was still there and sitting very quietly in front of him. Optimus hadn't said a word since the man had appeared. Was he trying to appear to be like a normal truck or was it all a trick just to play possum? Whichever it was, it was all too confusing for the young man.

He turned back to the man, his gaze hard and cold. "If you're Optimus Prime, then tell me what this is that is standing right before me."

"This is just a hologram," replied the same voice that resembled Optimus' deep baritone voice. "I created it thanks to Ratchet's remodifications. In order to blend in with other species, such as human society, we Transformers used holograms to avoid being noticed. However, it takes a lot of energy to keep it up. The further we go, the more energy we use. If we overdo it, then we will slip into recharge cycle, or sleep as you humans prefer to say it. You can touch it to see my point."

Jason found it a little bit offensive that the man demand him to touch him just to prove a point. However, since the voice sounded just like Optimus', Jason decided that it would probably be best if he tried. If this was a joke and the man was real, then Jason would kick the truck just to show his anger. As soon as he touched the man's arm the man flickered for just a split second and Jason stumbled forward, only to be caught by him as he fell towards the ground.

"Watch your step," said the man, "the first step is always, as you humans say, a doozy."

As soon as the man helped him back onto his feet, Jason blinked in surprise and looked at the Peterbilt. The truck still hadn't moved or spoken a word. This was a little confusing but it was starting to make sense right now. He turned his gaze back onto the man and scratched his head. "I don't how you managed to pull it off, but that was pretty excellent. Oh, and thanks for the save, Optimus."

"Your concern was highly expected but your acknowledgement of appreciation is notified." Optimus turned his blue gaze to Jasmine, who was sitting by the telephone booth with the phone in her hand. He knew that she was calling for a taxi to come and pick her and her brother up but he still wondered why she was afraid of him. The only answer he could think of was a possible repeat of last time. He looked back at Jason. "I will go on ahead and meet you back at your home. I'm sure you would want to discuss some things with your sister to make her feel less uncomfortable and more secure. I'll have Ratchet come by to see her every now and then to give her some checkups to see how she is healing, both physically and mentally."

"Thank you, Optimus," Jason nodded. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Oh, you might want to think of a human name while you're like that. It will make things less noticeable of your true self."

Optimus nodded. It did feel strange to let his consciousness form this hologram but it was the only way for him to remain normal to both of his charges. While Jason was under his protection, Jasmine was his true concern. He had to figure out why she was so defensive about not accepting him as a new gift. Yes, he guessed it all had something to do with history repeating itself, but he reckoned it ran much deeper than any physical wound could ever run. Perhaps Ratchet may be able to tell him what was going on when he came by to see how he was doing with his charges.

"Are you going to go or are you going to just stand there?"

Optimus shook his head and blinked his eyes in confusion. When he realised that Jason had interrupted his thoughts, he couldn't help but chuckle in amusement at the boy's hint of both sarcasm and concern in his tone. "I think I'll go while I still can," he replied, a hint of playfulness and sarcasm in his own tone.

Jason watched as the hologram tore away his gaze from Jasmine and walked towards the Peterbilt. He opened the door and climbed inside the truck's driver's seat, closing it behind him and then starting up the engine, or at least it looked like the hologram did. Slowly, the truck went into reverse, backing out of its park until it straightened itself up and drove down the hill and out of the parking lot, dust and dirt picking up as it disappeared around the corner and out of sight.

Sighing, Jason turned back to his sister to see her putting the phone back into its resting place and painfully crossing her legs over each other. Her bandaged arm was tucked tightly against her chest and her gaze was focused elsewhere. It was that one place that he had trouble with trying to talk to her. When her eyes became blank and her facial features as white as the clouds above them, Jason knew that it was always wise to leave her to her thoughts. He also knew what she was thinking about. It was always the one question that had haunted her the moment she had been pulled out from under the wreckage. Who was her saviour and where was he?

* * *

It was in the afternoon when Optimus Prime pulled into the driveway of the house that now belonged to the Clarks. He parked himself onto the driveway and turned his hologram off. It would be a while before Jason and Jasmine would back home in a taxi from the hospital but it also gave the Autobot leader time to think on what he should do while he waited for their return.

As half an hour ticked by, Optimus himself zoning in and out into another world. He wasn't confused about this whole issue it was just puzzling as to why Jasmine was so afraid of him. Some of it made sense while the rest didn't at all. It made his head spin at nearly a hundred miles an hour and he could've sworn it was about to fall off and roll onto the ground in the same manner he had slain Bonecrusher.

If Optimus was in his robot mode, he would've taken the time to look down at his hands. Those hands, which possessed power and strength like no other Transformer on the planet, had taken lives just to protect the ones he cared about the most. Not only were they hands of killers, but they were also hands of kindness that were as gentle as a mother crocodile handling her newborn hatchlings. Now, more than ever, he was determined to get to the bottom of this mystery and help out his new charge without her noticing of his true form. Unfortunately, that was a lot easier said than done...

Sighing, the Autobot leader turned his communicator on to Ratchet. "Optimus Prime to Ratchet," he called.

He was met with a stone cold silence for a moment until there was a snort and someone answering. _"Ratchet to Optimus Prime, reading you loud and clear. What can I do for you?"_ It sounded like he had been busy with something and Optimus guessed that it all had something to do with Ironhide hurting himself all over again and getting himself checked out for any damage.

"Nothing out of the ordinary, my friend," Optimus assured. "Listen, I was wondering if you could do me a favour. It's a favour that has something to do with checkups for my new charge, Jasmine Clark."

Ratchet seemed to be quiet for a moment and then there was a sudden _bang_. Optimus had to wince because he knew that the green mech had hit Ironhide on the head for being stubborn about getting his armour dented with his familiar wrench. _"Ironhide if you don't behave, I will turn off your fragging weapon systems for the rest of your long and miserable life!"_ Silence again and then Ratchet spoke again. _"Sorry about that, Optimus. So you want me to come by tomorrow and give Ms. Jasmine Clark a health check out of human doctor's orders?"_

"That is the whole point, Ratchet," Optimus answered. "I don't want her to leave my optic sensors because of how... much damage she's taken. There's something wrong with her and I'm determined to find out what it is."

"_Don't rush her, Optimus,"_ said Ratchet gently, but his tone held strictness in it. _"You and I both know that rushing a human who has been through a traumatic experience will only make things worse. Give her time to open up to you. Gain her trust like you've always done with Samuel and Mikaela. Like some humans say, sir: 'Patience is the key to success'."_

Optimus remembered very well that he would never rush someone to talk and open up. Time was something that needed to be given to Jasmine in order her to physically recover from her ordeal in the hospital and her. He had infinite patience and he was determined to win her trust and help her realise that not all vehicles were 'evil'. It would just take a while for her to finally settle down and he really didn't want to overdo his work.

"_Optimus, are you still there?" _Ratchet asked. _"You're not listening to me, obviously."_

The Autobot leader shuddered and jerked forward in surprise to Ratchet's call, almost slamming into the garage. He was just mere human inches from hitting it, but his reflexes had kicked in just in time for him. He shuddered again and snorted exhaust fumes from the two identical pipes on the sides of his chassis before calming down after his near-frightening experience.

"Yes, Ratchet, I'm still here," Optimus replied quietly. "I apologise for my sudden silence. I have to go now. The taxi just pulled in and I wish to continue to remain undercover for as long as possible. Thank you for your advice, Ratchet, my friend. I will see you tomorrow."

"_Good luck on your first night with your new charge, sir,"_ said Ratchet. _"Ratchet out."_

When the communicator had died down into dead silence, Optimus sat as still as a rotten log as the taxi cab pulled into the driveway alongside him. He watched as Jason paid the driver the money, helped his sister out and went to go get her luggage from her stay at the hospital from out of the back.

Optimus could only watch as Jasmine limped up the driveway with her walking stick. He felt sadness and guilt washing over his Spark. Why did Starscream have to do such a horrible thing to an innocent creature who knew nothing about the war that was secretly raging on? Optimus didn't have much of an answer, but he knew that he would do everything he could do watch over the two. It was a promise that he was more than willing to keep.

He hadn't noticed the taxi drive away until Jason gently petted his bonnet. "You ok, Optimus?" he asked quietly so that Jasmine could not hear them, who was waiting at the front door for her brother to open it up since he had the keys.

"I am well, Jason," Optimus replied. "I was just discussing with Ratchet about the checkups I promised you. He will be here tomorrow to see how Jasmine is doing."

"Thanks, Optimus," Jason thanked once again. "I really appreciate what you're doing for us. If Jasmine knew that you existed she would be very grateful for your kindness."

The Peterbilt truck revered his engine as Optimus chuckled. "I am just doing what I think is best for both you and her," he replied, his tone gentle. "Now go with your sister and settle her in. I'm sure she's eager to get into her warm bed and sleep the night away."

"I will," said Jason. He then turned and walked up the porch towards his sister with her luggage still in his hands. Using the keys, he unlocked the door to the front of the house and he watched quietly as his sister stepped inside the cold darkness of the house. Jason couldn't help but wonder if Optimus knew exactly what he was doing.

Even as he walked inside he could see how Jasmine carried herself up the stairs. No longer was there any playful prances in her steps nor was there any excited giggles from her mouth. Had the accident really changed her character completely?

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Jazzy, you don't want anything to eat or drink?" he asked as she was halfway up the stairs to her room. "Hospital food must've been pretty horrible for you."

Jasmine stopped in her limp and glanced down at her brother, her facial expression unreadable. "No thank you," she said quietly and continued her trek up towards her room, leaving a distressed Jason all on his own at the foot of the stairs. The only sound he heard from her was the slam of the door and the gentle thud of something heavy sitting on something soft that indicated she was on her bed.

Jason couldn't help but feel utterly helpless. Without his sister's cheerfulness he felt like a huge load of crap. He really wished that she would talk to him, but the only thing he could do was wait until she was ready to tell him what was wrong.

The main question was – how long?

* * *

**Spiritimus Prime: A very good question, eh? Don't worry, guys, Jasmine's gonna interact with Optimus soon, but not soon enough. Got to increase the suspence by doing the whole 'earning the trust' business and have Ratchet do his usual checkups on Jasmine. I really got to get used to writing in something that I'm still not familiar with... Meh... whatever. See you guys again! Gonna go write up the next chapter to Rise from the Ashes. Been wanting to for quite a while now. Until then, stay tuned!**


	5. A Close Call

**Spiritimus Prime: Well this came out quicker than I had expected. I never thought I would see the day that I would come down and get this chapter done. It's both weird and exciting all at the same time, but at least it's done. No doubt people are going to be whooping in joy and happiness since I've gotten off my ass and decided to do this instead of updating one of my other stories. I sure know that people are gonna be pissed if I don't do something about that habit, but, other than that, I'm glad that I did finally come up with something. Go on and enjoy this!**

* * *

**Chapter 5:**

**A Close Call**

The room was quiet as Jasmine walked in and closed the door behind her. It was dark and gloomy, matching her mood perfectly. Everything was all stacked in a perfect order. Her desk was clean, the floor had showed no signs of having any of the papers she had thrown on the floor, and her bed was neatly made. When she saw that everything was so neat and tidy she felt her insides churn in anger, but she did nothing to express her fury. Jason never cleaned up her room because he respected his sister's privacy and wishes.

Doing nothing but chew her bottom lip in frustration, Jasmine sighed and sat down on her bed, placing her walking stick against the desk next to her bed where her lamp and alarm clock rested, and putting her face in her good hand, the one that was not paralysed. She felt completely helpless without the use of her other arm. Being brain damaged and having a useless arm made her feel isolated and inhuman. Her head ached like hell and every other part of her screamed inside demanding that she get some sleep as soon as possible.

Now that she was nothing more but a freak to the rest of the world, Jasmine felt very alone. How could she go out there and face the world when her own kind would probably shut her out? The doctors probably cared only because it was their job to look after their patients. Jason was her twin brother, he wouldn't do anything to hurt her nor get her into any trouble. They were family and that was all to it.

Jasmine stretched her good arm as far as she could, she tried to move her paralysed arm but her head screamed in agony and she was forced to bite down on her lips in pain to prevent a scream from escaping, causing blood to dribble down. As soon as she felt the pain subside she kicked off her shoes and tried to lie down to get some much needed rest, according to the doctors. Much to her surprise, as soon as her head touched her pillow, she felt something prickly and soft. She sat up and turned to look towards the object that had almost gotten itself tangled up in her hair. A strange scent caught her nose and she wrinkled it to make sure that she was not dreaming.

Lying on her pillow, in a neat bundle, was a bunch of red roses.

Jasmine sat up more, with the help of her good arm, and gently picked up the carefully wrapped tinfoil that was around the stems in a neat manner. There were no creases or any tears in the tinfoil at all. She leaned forward and took a small sniff to really make sure that it was not all a dream.

This was truly puzzling to her. Who would go and waste their time with buying her an expensive bunch of roses? Jason didn't have much money to go and buy her a gift like this. Not unless it was someone who had a huge, damn amount of money.

Then she saw the letter.

Carefully she put the roses down next to her and picked up the neatly folded letter. Opening it, she discovered that there was handwriting she had never even seen before. It wasn't Jason's because it was far too neat and far too perfect to even be his. Yes, she had cursive handwriting and so did Jason, but this was definitely not his or hers. This was what the letter said:

_Dear Jasmine Clark,_

_It is good to see that you are alive and well, I was afraid that you wouldn't make it when we took you to the hospital to save your life. I am terribly sorry about your loss of your truck and your permanent damage that has been inflicted upon your body. It does pain me to see you like this and the guilt will never fade away for what had happened._

_On the contrary, I hope that we meet someday at a less dangerous time. When you are ready to hear out the truth about what had happened, I will come to you and explain everything that had occurred on that frightful day when you almost lost your precious life. _

_Until the day that we meet face to face, when you are ready, stay safe and remember that I'm always watching over you like a guardian angel, as you might say. Look out for your brother and he will look out for you._

_From yours faithfully,_

_Your Saviour_

When Jasmine had finished reading the letter, she blinked her eyes in confusion and stood up slowly, placing the letter next on her desk next to her bed and walked up to the window. She peered through the curtains and saw the red and blue flamed Peterbilt semi truck sitting very quietly in the driveway, so innocent and so peaceful, with the evening sun beginning to shine on its fine frame, turning the red into a gold colour that reminded her of the sun in the afternoon.

_There's something about you,_ she thought to herself, _that gets me wondering. Are you the one who saved my life or was I imagining it?_

Pulling away from the window and limping over to her desk, she sat down and took out her sketchbook that she had used during her stay in the hospital. Jason had been kind enough to buy her something to take away some of her boredom while she recovered from her accident. Carefully, Jasmine took out her pencil with her good hand and started to draw what she thought she saw when she had been pulled out from the wreckage.

A giant blue and red metallic creature with cobalt blue eyes, which held a strange hint of kindness and concern, and a silver mask with strange symbols on the sides of its tall antennas was all that came into her mind. It was a strange thought, picturing something so unusual and not from this world that was way beyond human technology and their understanding. She drew the being standing in front of a sunset, its gaze calm and peaceful as it admired the scenery, a green field filled with grass and flowers that had many different coloured petals.

She had lost track of time until she heard a knock at her door. She quickly closed her sketchbook up and turned to face the door. "Come in," she called.

The door opened up and Jason walked in with a plate that held her favourite meal. Roast lamb with gravy, potatoes, beans, corn, peas, rice, and chopped carrots. He placed it next to her sketchbook and looked her straight in the eye as if he was trying to read her facial expression to find out what she was thinking about. "Why aren't you resting?" he asked.

Jasmine blinked once in confusion and sighed. She didn't want to talk about this. She had a lot on her mind and she didn't want her brother to come along to ruin everything. Yes, she loved her brother like no other, but there were times when he could be damn annoying. Sometimes she wondered whose personality he had inherited from.

"Because," she answered a little coldly, "I don't need to rest. I have too much to think about, like work and money. How are we going to live when I'm the only one who has a damn licence?"

Jason stood up straight and rubbed the back of his head with a hand. There was no point in arguing with his sister, but he knew that he just had to try and see the whole point for her coldness and her hostility. It was driving him nuts and seeing his sister like this just made him even more determined to get her to snap out of it.

"I don't know what's going on, Jazzy," he said calmly, "but you should know by now that you cannot drive or work. Sure you can live with a paralysed arm, but having brain damage makes it even harder for you to do anything at all. Because of that, I'm the one who's going to try for his licence and find a job to help us cope."

"Thanks, Jason," Jasmine hissed sarcastically, "that makes me feel so much better. Like me, you're probably going to wind up in an accident and no one will be here to take of our broken and battered bodies. We've got enough problems on our hands and I don't want you to end up like me."

If Jason had been surprised by her sarcasm, he didn't show it. "I'm not going to end up like you, Jazzy," he said. "It should've been me to get hit on the road and lose the use of my arm and get brain damage, not you. I care too much about you for you to just get up and go get hurt again."

The twin sister looked away from her brother, no longer making eye contact with him. Everything inside of her felt completely alien and unfamiliar, as if she had become her own worst enemy. Her head screamed in protest, but she chose to ignore the incoming wave of discomfort at the back of her mind, and she felt her muscles twitch uncontrollably without warning. She was quick to not show that she had just had a muscle spasm.

"Can you please leave me alone," she whispered as she sighed. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

Her brother sighed and pulled away before placing a fork and knife down beside her plate full of warm food that made her mouth water in hunger. She was starving and she was desperate to get the delicious food into her mouth before the devastating taste faded away into oblivion. Even the bubbling of the pop soda next to her plate mentally sent her into a wild frenzy of excitement and giddiness. She almost failed to notice the painkillers next to the glass and she realised that Jason was trying to make her feel a bit better and to help her cope with the pain.

She watched as Jason backed away until he was standing in the middle of the doorway and looked at her, his eyes holding sadness and grief, especially when he saw the letter and the bunch of roses on her bed. Did he know who had given her the gift or did he not? Whatever was on his mind Jasmine could only guess and wonder if she was correct or not.

"I really do hope you'll feel better and get back to your old self, Jazzy," he said. "I really do miss the Jasmine I used to know."

Without another word, Jason turned and walked out the room, leaving Jasmine alone in the gloomy darkness once again. Jasmine felt nothing but emptiness inside her chest. She felt as hollow as a shell with no soul and no heart to keep her burning as brightly as she used be. Whatever confidence she used to have had died inside her when she had been involved with the accident.

Jasmine reopened her sketchbook and looked at the picture she had just drawn. It wasn't perfect, but at least it was good enough to satisfy her mind about what she believed what her saviour looked like. She couldn't tell if it was male or female but the way how bulky it was and how it held itself with dignity and pride, she knew instantly that it was a male.

She sighed and pulled away from her longing stare and dug into her meal to satisfy the hunger pangs that threatened to pull her from out of her concentration of thoughts that were still nagging at the back of her mind. The sweet taste of the gravy and roast melted on her tongue, causing her to shiver in excitement, she had not eaten this stuff in a long time since her accident and she hated the hospital foods that the doctors had forced her to eat. At least her sense of taste hadn't been damaged in the accident.

Jasmine hardly noticed that she was being watched by a figure that she had sketched from her dream in the hospital while she had been unconscious.

* * *

From outside the window, as silent as a ghost, the towering mech, Optimus Prime, watched with curiosity and wonder. His bright blue, cobalt optics were dim so that he would not startle his charge and to make sure that she was unaware of his presence. He had even been watching Jasmine sketch a picture of himself and he had become curious during that moment. So curious that he had almost blown his cover when Jasmine had turned her head away from Jason's steady gaze.

He had seen and heard everything Jason and Jasmine were discussing about even though he had no wish to invade their privacy. It was their business not his. He sensed Jasmine's muscle spasm and almost leapt into action to find out what was bothering only to discover that it was part of her symptoms of her brain damage. It was strange how she could cope with such unusual things that many people suffered from. In truth, she would've died in that accident if it hadn't been for his quick thinking and Ratchet's reflexes.

He still wondered how Jasmine was able to survive such an accident after suffering from mild injuries but still getting one that was very severe in human cases. And yet, he still had to wonder why it was not as severe as he first thought. The only problems she was bound to have was a little difficulty in talking and moving a required limb. The paralysed arm was part of his point.

When he saw Jasmine glancing at the drawing after Jason had left, he retreated a bit to give her privacy and her own personal space. He knew that she had not seen him, but he knew that she suspected him being her saviour. He didn't leave that letter on her bed and that bunch of roses for nothing. He only wanted to give her some reassurance when the time came for him to reveal himself to her. Although he wasn't sure how long that would be and he knew that he first had to win her trust. Again, that would take some time and plus he did have his duties as the Autobot leader to search for the Decepticons to prevent them from doing what they had always set themselves to do.

He blinked in surprise when he saw that Jasmine had fallen asleep at her desk after she had finished her meal and had started colouring in her picture of himself. He was so surprised that he nearly flinched at the sight of her dropping like a log and started snoring a bit. This made it a sheer sign that she really was asleep.

Chuckling, he leaned forward, using his audio receptors to listen to her heaving breathing, and carefully pried open the window. He was a bit shocked that there was no cool breeze blowing when he did this, but at least it allowed Jasmine to sleep on and not be disturbed by his quiet movements.

He stuck his hand through the window and his metallic fingers wrapped around the blanket that was neatly arranged on her bed and he picked it up. Reaching as far as his arm and the window allowed him he spread the blanket with his fingers and very gently placed the blanket over Jasmine's shivering body. Even in her sleep, he knew that she was troubled.

Using a finger, he stroked her back as gently as he could so as to not awaken her. "Sleep well, Jasmine," he whispered as his hand retreated into the night. He closed the window and the stood back from the building, his footsteps so silent that he doubted that Jason would've heard him at all.

Transforming back into his vehicle form, he returned to his original place and prepared to shut himself down into recharge. He was tired from today, but he had tomorrow to look forward to because of Ratchet coming in to check up on Jasmine to ensure that she was properly going to be fine.

A swirl of protective emotions pulsed through his systems and he shivered a little to try and prevent them from surfacing. He knew that if he got too attached to his charge, consequences were bound to follow and he did not want to get too close if anything happened to her. Emotions, to the Autobot leader, were something he could never show. The Autobots needed a strong leader and that was what he was going to give them. Sometimes he grieved for those who lost their lives in this pointless war, but he never showed it as often as people thought he should.

Slowly, he drifted into recharge to sleep the night away. He could only hope that nothing happened in the middle of the night but he reckoned that anything was possible.

* * *

As the morning sun peeked through the curtains, Jasmine opened her eyes and she realised that she had fallen asleep on her desk. She sat up and rubbed her eyes tiredly to clear the sleep from them. She didn't hear the gentle _thump_ on the floor of something soft making contact with it until she reached out for her walking stick and stood up, only to see the blanket lying on the floor behind her chair in a crumpled up heap.

_Strange,_ she mused thoughtfully, _I don't recall putting a blanket over myself last night. Not unless Jason was kind enough to sneak into my room and place it on._

Shaking her head, Jasmine quietly made her way to the window to get a look at the semi truck that was still parked in the driveway. She was surprised to see it was still there but she wasn't surprised that Jason hadn't taken it with him. Oh that's right; he didn't have a damn licence. So if he was going to be looking after her, the house, getting his licence, a job, and driving the gift he had bought for her, then what could she do to pass the rest of the time and her life?

_Screw listening to that bastard about rest and shit, _she thought bitterly as her face formed into a scowl, _I'm going downstairs whether he likes it or not. I don't need to be babied about things. I can look after myself._

Angrily, she plucked her jacket off the wardrobe's doorknob and tried to get it on, but when she forgot about her paralysed arm and tried to wedge it through, the alarming bells of pain seethed through her torso and head like daggers piercing through her skin.

Jasmine screamed in agony and dropped to the floor, clutching her arm close to her body to try and ease the pain in her head and side. It hurt like hell and she suddenly started twitching, as if she was having a seizure. She tried to move her body, but it was completely out of her control. Fear gripped her like claws grasping at her heart and she could no longer speak. Her vision blurred and red spots danced in her eyesight as the alarming bells kept on tolling through her head. She was alone, frightened and confused as she lost sight of everything.

She didn't hear the sound of the door opening until she heard two voices cry out her name twice. The first person's voice didn't sound familiar, but the second one did. She tried to reach out towards the voices but it was so hard to move and so hard to think and concentrate all at the same time. She was in pure, white hot agony and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

"Slag it!" one of the figures hissed from afar. "She's having a seizure. Make room so she doesn't hurt herself. Move it! Don't touch her and don't do anything stupid."

Clattering, banging, and thudding could be heard all around her as Jasmine struggled to maintain control over her body, but it was no use. Whatever it was that had a tight grip on her head, it felt like it wasn't going to stop any time soon. She thought she was going to keep on going forever until she felt the unusual feeling subside. The muscles stopped twitching, her arm and leg stopped flailing, and her torso relaxed as her breathing finally settled down to a deep wheeze of exhaustion.

"Can we go to her now?" a deep baritone voice asked with a hint of concern in it.

Someone bent down beside her head and checked her temperature by placing a hand upon her sweating forehead before removing it. From what Jasmine could make out of the figure, it was a man in his late forties and he appeared to be wearing a white coat. He was probably the doctor that Jason had mentioned about giving her checkups every now and then.

The doctor glanced up and nodded towards the other two figures that Jasmine couldn't make out from all the blurriness and the exhaustion that was threatening to put her back to sleep. However, like any stubborn person would, she refused to let unconsciousness take over her mind. She felt strong, but warm hands move underneath her armpits and helping her to sit up a bit.

Still a bit twitchy and confused, Jasmine quickly buried her head into the chest of the figure. Fear gripped her mind so powerfully that she refused to open her eyes up until she felt for sure that the danger had passed completely. Whatever it was she had just experienced, she probably didn't want to remember at all. She trembled as the person wrapped his arms around her body to try and take away all the fear and she couldn't help but sob like a little baby.

"It's alright, Jasmine," the owner's deep baritone voice whispered gently. "You're safe now."

"W... what happened?" Jasmine stuttered as she continued to tremble in fear and confusion. "I... I don't... remember much."

"You had a seizure," said the doctor in a calm voice, causing Jasmine to turn her head and look at him in confusion. "It is one of the symptoms of having brain damage. Yours lasted for about two minutes according to my watch. You must've strained yourself when you shouldn't have."

"W... where's J... Jason?" Jasmine asked. She felt stupid for stuttering, but she remembered that the doctors had warned her about having seizures in the future and that, after a seizure, her speech would suffer for a while until a few hours had passed from the experience. "Is... he... home?"

"Your brother has gone to get his licence," the man, who had been holding her, replied. For some reason, his gentle voice provided comfort and promise of protection. "He asked me, Tim Primo, to look after you until he got back. Dr. Ryan Ratchet came by to give you your check up and I was telling him about you when we heard you scream in pain. We came up here to find out what was wrong until we saw you twitching uncontrollably."

Jasmine closed her eyes for a moment to blink back the stinging tears that threatened to pour out from her eyes. She had been so afraid of what was going on that she could barely remember what had happened. Dazed and confused, she twitched again and wept in Tim's chest, her tears soaking his shirt until there was a huge patch of wetness on it.

"Why... did this happen to me?" she cried. "I don't... deserve to be like this!"

Tim sighed gently and pulled her closer to his chest to offer her as much comfort as he possibly could. He hated to feel helpless when this girl was practically asking why she was a freak and no longer her old self. It pained him, but the only thing he could do was be there for her as long as she needed him to be. He even let her hit on the chest with her fists as she continued to scream and lash out with all her might until she barely had the energy to fight anymore.

"Sir," Dr. Ratchet called to get his attention, "can I talk to you as soon as I'm done giving her check up?"

"Yes," Tim answered sombrely, "of course." He then gently lifted Jasmine off the floor, supporting her with his strength and setting her back onto the chair. Using a finger, he brushed the tear-caked hair from out of Jasmine's face and placed it behind her ear so that he could get a better look at her face. "Are you going to be alright?"

The young woman nodded slowly and used the back of her hand to wipe away the dried up streaks of tears. She had never felt so stupid in her whole life, crying on a stranger's arms and hugging him like her life depended upon him. It was weird, but she didn't care. She felt a bit better now that she had released most of her steam, but she also felt exhausted and hungry, and her throat was very sore and dry. It felt like a lump had just formed at the back of it but that was not the main cause of her discomfort. Her head still ached like hell, but at least she was not having a seizure again.

"I'll let you two get on with the diagnosis," said Tim, snapping Jasmine from out of her train of thoughts. "I'll go and get Jasmine something to eat and drink. I'm sure she may need to recover some of the energy she just lost after her breakdown."

"Thank you," Dr. Ratchet thanked as he watched the man walk out the room and closed the door behind him. He then turned back to face Jasmine and smiled kindly at her to provide her some reassurance. He approached a doctor's bag that had been left by the door and took out some needed tools to check the young woman all over. "Other than the seizure, how have you doing since your last check up with the doctors at the hospital?"

Jasmine blinked in confused at the Dr. Ratchet's random joke and shrugged. She knew he was trying to make her feel better, but did he really have to point out the obvious of her close-call? "Sick and tired," she grumbled. "How good does that sound to you?"

If Dr. Ratchet had noticed her taste for sarcasm and took offense to it, he didn't show it. "Well then, Ms. Clark," he said, nodding as he took out a stethoscope, "at least your sense of humour hasn't changed. Tim and Jason have told me that you are quite the charmer. Could you take your shirt off?"

Jasmine knew that wasn't a direct request. Something told her that this doctor was a lot stricter than the ones she had encountered back at the hospital and it was probably better to obey, rather than argue with him. _Great, _she thought as she carefully used her good arm to take her shirt off, _let the freak-show commence._

_

* * *

_**Spiritimus Prime: Yup! A little bit of a cliffhanger for you people, but at least this is going somewhere where I want it to go. Yes guys and girls, the doctor is Ratchet's hologram, Dr. Ryan 'Ratchet'. The other man, as you may know as Tim Primo, is Optimus' hologram. Finally, Optimus comes up with something from his name instead of something weird and completey not him. Yeah, Optimus is being a big softie like he always does in every fanfiction I write about on him. I love it when he is a softie, so I'm sure most of you do. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter because I seriously need to update Rise from the Ashes. It's driving me nuts with all of this damn suspense. Until the next chapter, stay tuned!**


	6. How Far Will You Go?

**Chapter 6:**

**How Far Will You Go?**

While Optimus' hologram prepared a decent breakfast for Jasmine, Ratchet's own hologram, Dr. Ryan Ratchet, took care of her. Jasmine had removed her shirt, only to reveal her breasts. She felt embarrassed that she was showing Dr. Ratchet what was beneath her shirt, but she realised that he did not ogle her for what he saw.

As soon as Dr. Ratchet placed the stethoscope against her sensitive skin, she flinched from the cold metal, doing her best not to shiver. He'd obviously failed to notice her nervousness about the metal, but, to her amazement, the temperature of the stethoscope changed automatically to warm and relaxing. She tried to question him about it, but he didn't answer how he did it nor did he explain how it was even possible. Instead, he told her that the temperature of the room must've changed because of the sun's heated rays were warming up the room.

Funny, Jasmine couldn't feel any warmer. The window wasn't even open. She decided not to argue against the opinion.

Ratchet used the stethoscope to listen to her heartbeat, and he was amazed to hear that it was pounding furiously against her chest. He knew that she had been terrified during the seizure and was trying to find a way to calm herself down.

Ratchet wasn't really using a stethoscope. While he had it placed against Jasmine's chest, he used his sensors to scan her while she breathed in and out. Again, he was shocked at the way how fast it was going. He knew that he had to get her to slow her breathing down as quickly as possible, or else it could trigger another frightening seizure and he didn't want to alarm Optimus at all.

"Your breathing and heartbeat are pretty laboured," he told Jasmine when he removed the stethoscope from his ears. "You would do well to take slow, deep breaths. Should you keep up the laboured breathing, you could trigger another seizure, and I don't want Tim to be worried about you all over again. Can you do that?"

Jasmine eyed Ryan suspiciously, as if she was trying to figure out if his words were truth or not. She finally agreed and took slow, deep breaths to try and calm her fear down. It didn't take very long, but she finally managed to get her quickly beating heart under control once again.

"Well done," Ryan praised. "Hopefully you don't strain yourself again like last time. Don't want another seizure like that again."

Jasmine shook her head slowly. She watched curiously as Ryan put the stethoscope away and pulled out an otoscope from his pocket. He used his hand to motion her to turn her head around so that he could examine one of her ears. Again, she reluctantly obeyed and turned her head to the left.

Ryan gently poked the otoscope into her ear and had a good look at it. He was impressed to see that it was nice and healthy. Taking the scope out, he then turned her head around again to show her right ear. He got the same result as the left ear, seeing that it was the same as the other one, healthy and clean. He nodded his impressiveness and he began to feel around her abdomen, her back, and her good arm and leg.

"So how have you been doing since your last examination?" he asked when he noticed the uneasiness that Jasmine was displaying as he felt around her leg. He only wanted to ask because he didn't want her to feel so nervous when he was touching her all over like a doctor should.

"I've been… better," Jasmine said, her voice stuttering a little as a result from her seizure. Her struggle with words proved otherwise that she was not going to ease up as easily as one might expect. No, she needed time to adjust to her new and perhaps limited life and things may not be so easy.

"Perhaps you'll feel better when I'm done examining you," Ryan suggested.

Jasmine nodded slightly, still not believing that he was trying to help her. Was she hostile to all strangers now? Ryan hoped that this was all just a big fat joke and he could just get up and walk away right now and return to where he was working on Ironhide's upset joints. Oh joy!

When Ryan had completed his examination he nodded towards Jasmine to confirm that she was physically healthy. He'd looked at her paralysed arm and leg and he knew that it would be impossible for him to perform his famous miracles that he was well known for. He felt sorry for Jasmine that he could do nothing for her injuries, but he knew that she would have to cope with these… disorders on her own.

As he was finishing up, he and Jasmine heard a knock at the door, signalling that Tim had come back with Jasmine's breakfast. Ryan instantly handed Jasmine's shirt back to her and helped her get dressed again. Jasmine wasn't thrilled about the help, but she was glad that Dr. Ratchet managed to slip her injured arm through the impossible sleeve.

"Thanks," was all Jasmine said.

"You're welcome," Ryan replied.

He then stood up and walked back over to the door. He opened it up and there was Tim, standing right there in the middle of the doorway with a tray of pancakes in one hand and a glass of juice in the other. On the tray next to the pancakes was a pair of oval shaped capsules that Ryan guessed was Jasmine's painkillers.

"Special delivery for Jasmine Clark," Tim said teasingly as he held the tray of pancakes out to Jasmine.

Jasmine tried to ignore the growling protest of her stomach, but she hadn't had any breakfast since yesterday. The hospital had given her nothing but disgusting food that was supposed to give her vitamins and minerals that was good for her. She looked away for a brief moment, but the sweet smell of butter and syrup tickled beneath her nose and she was forced to turn back to look at the wonderful pancakes that Tim had dished up for her. How did he know that she liked her pancakes just like that?

She could only guess that Jason had told Tim about what she liked.

Ryan stepped aside as Tim walked forward and placed the plate right on her desk. He noticed that he was being extremely careful not to spill the syrup on Jasmine, even as he placed the glass of juice right next to the plate. He even saw that there was no fork or knife for Jasmine to eat it.

Ryan was about to protest when Tim revealed beneath his wrist a fork and knife that had been hiding underneath his sleeve while he had been carrying the tray of food. Ryan could only shake his head and laugh in amusement.

He then turned to Jasmine and said to her, "Once you have finished your breakfast and had your medicine, I want you to get back into bed and rest up."

Ryan managed to catch Jasmine's tongue as he went on, preventing her from arguing. "Don't you dare argue with me," he growled. "My orders are doctor's orders, and I expect you to obey them, whether you like it or not."

Tim chuckled from afar, but Ryan shot him a death glare. "You're lucky you aren't sick," he hissed. "Or else you might receive worse treatment from me yet."

"Knowing you, Dr. Ratchet, I hardly think so," Tim retorted.

Ryan rolled his eyes and watched as Jasmine looked at the food. Somehow, he almost sensed the hurt flowing from Tim when he too almost noticed her cautious look at it. "Is there something wrong with the food?" Ryan asked.

Jasmine blinked and shook her head, not wanting to be rude to Tim at all, since he had kindly prepared the food for her without even thinking that she liked pancakes in the morning. She'd missed the sweet flavour of the butter and syrup running along her tongue and down her throat. "No," she said, "there's nothing wrong with it. I just haven't had this kind of food for a while."

"Then why are you so nervous?" Tim asked, tilting his head to one side. Ryan could've sworn he saw hope and concern in his cobalt eyes. "Are you thinking I may have poisoned it or something?"

Again, Jasmine shook her head. "No," she said, "I'm just—"

"It's alright," Tim said as a warm smile of understanding crossing his lips. "I know you might be afraid of me, but there is no need to be. I'm just here to look after you while your brother is out."

Jasmine took a deep breath and she looked into Tim's eyes, wondering if he was telling the truth or not. "I guess so." She felt a random muscle twitch beneath her skin, almost like as if they were mild tremors underneath the Earth's crust. "I was wondering why he hasn't told me anything about you."

Tim looked a little taken aback, but Ryan noticed that he had been quick to recover when his cobalt eyes warmed up again. "We only just met a couple of months ago," he explained. "He was asking me that if I would like to meet you, but your accident happened and we had to cut off the moment. Since then, he's been busy trying to get things underway such as getting his driver's licence so that he can drive the truck that is sitting out the front."

"Oh." Jasmine had been wondering about the truck since her seizure. Now that she thought about it, the truck had been far from her mind for a little while. However, that didn't take her mind off of the figure that had pulled her out of Silverflame after her accident.

"When you have finished your breakfast," said Ryan, interrupting Tim's and Jasmine's discussion, "perhaps you might like to get some rest. As I said before: doctor's orders."

Jasmine smiled and nodded, grateful that Dr. Ratchet had spoken up. Somehow, talking to Tim had made her feel a little bit uncomfortable. It was not that she didn't dislike him or anything, she just wasn't sure on whether or not she should trust him or not. "Ok," she said.

"That's a good girl," Ryan said, patting Jasmine on the head gently. "Now eat up so that you can get your strength back and recover from your incident. I can't have you looking like a thin stick while you're under my watchful eye."

Jasmine giggled. "I will," she replied.

Ryan then turned to Tim and he beckoned him to follow him outside the room. Jasmine watched as they walked out and closed the door behind them so that she could have some privacy to herself.

She looked at the food that was laid out before her. The smell was intense and it made her mouth water at the scent of it. How could she ignore her favourite breakfast when all she knew was that she could starve herself if she did not eat her fill? And plus, she didn't want to upset Tim just because she had turned up her nose at something when he was being so generous to her.

Carefully, Jasmine dug into her breakfast while sipping at her juice.

* * *

Outside Jasmine's room, Ryan walked down the stairs with Tim following close behind him. When they reached the bottom of the stairs and Ryan halted in front of the door to the outside and he turned to look Tim in the eye. When he spoke, his tone was calm, but serious. "So, Optimus," he began, "when do you plan to reveal yourself to her? You can't remain motionless like this forever. You do have to attend to N.E.S.T's needs as soon as possible. You have been gone for almost two months since you had appointed yourself as Jasmine's and Jason's guardian."

Optimus lowered his hologram's head; his cobalt eyes were unreadable and emotionless. When he spoke, it was almost hard to tell if he was serious or not. "I don't plan to reveal myself just yet to Jasmine, Ratchet," he told the medic. "As I said before, I plan to make Jasmine well again."

"Well," said Ratchet, "it will take a long time to heal someone who is mentally damaged. She is brain damaged and requires a lot of constant care and attention. I don't know when her next seizure trigger will be, but I can assure you that it won't be any time soon."

"And when will her next seizure be?" Optimus asked.

Ratchet lifted an eyebrow in curiosity, but he answered, "By my estimations, she will have it in about five days. If she ever triggers another one like overstraining her arm again, it will be tomorrow."

Optimus frowned; worry now crossing his facial expression. He then turned his gaze to the upstairs room where Jasmine was happily eating her breakfast and then looked back at Ratchet. No matter what he did, Optimus knew that he could not stop the seizures from coming back to haunt Jasmine's mind and body, but he could help her cope with it as time went on for her.

"So are you going to reveal yourself when the time is right?" Ratchet asked.

Optimus nodded. "When I have gained her trust and when she believes that she is willing to drive again."

Ratchet shook his head. "I highly doubt she'll be able to drive again," he said severely. "But I guess it's only a waiting game for all of us. Just make sure that you come back to the base so that we can figure out the whereabouts of Starscream. He hasn't been sighted since Jasmine's accident and I'm guessing he's hiding because he wants to wait out the police."

Optimus nodded again. "Yes," he said before he placed a hand on Ratchet's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I just hope that we'll be able to find him soon before I am able to make my presence known to Jasmine. I want her to feel reassured that everything will be fine."

The medic looked at Optimus so seriously that the Autobot leader could've sworn that he was about to explode with seriousness. "How far will you go?" he asked.

Optimus was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Ratchet sighed and rolled his eyes before he repeated the question again, "How far will you go in order to make Jasmine well again?"

The Autobot leader wasn't sure how he was going to answer the question. It was a puzzling thing. He tried to answer, but he had a feeling that he didn't know the answer right away. However, he knew that he would do anything to make his new friend well, but he would first have to earn her trust and let her know that there was nothing to be afraid of. Perhaps it would be best if he did not answer the question right away until he was sure he knew the answer.

"You don't have to tell me right away," said Ratchet gently, as if he had read Optimus' mind. "Just make sure that you know what you are doing. I'll be back next week to give her another examination." Ratchet's hologram disappeared and Optimus listened as the big green ambulance pulled out of the driveway and vanished down the road, back to N.E.S.T where he would be needed more than he was here.

Sighing, Optimus walked back up the stairs to check up on Jasmine. He was about to knock on the door when he heard another vehicle pull in. Surprised, he walked back down the stairs and peeked out the window to see Jason closing the door to a taxi.

Optimus wasn't surprised to see Jason back so soon, and he could only assume that he hadn't past the test to apply for his licence. However, if he had, it would be a miracle, and Jason and he could drive anywhere without having any suspicion from Jasmine and they could discuss whatever possibilities there were about making her well again.

Jason walked through the door and nearly bumped, or walked, through Optimus' hologram. He laughed in an amused tone and Optimus wondered where the humour was in what he had almost done. "I fail to see the humour," he said.

"It's not you, Optimus," said Jason as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sometimes when we make mistakes, we find it a little funny. But you probably wouldn't get it anyway, even if I explained it to you a dozen times."

Optimus shrugged his shoulders. "How did you go with applying for your licence?"

Jason smiled. "Not too badly," he answered. "I found it a bit confusing for a bit, but the trainer explained it to me, making it as clear as a picture. If I do well for the next two years, I'll have my full licence."

"Ah," said Optimus. "Then that will mean an experienced driver will be able to ride with you. Am I correct on that matter?"

"Yeah, that's true."

"Then might I suggest that we go out for a bit of a drive so that we may discuss about Jasmine out of hearing range. Just because she is staying upstairs, doesn't mean that she'll accidentally walk in on us when we are talking about her. I do, however, wish to ask you a few things so that we may increase the bond that has started to bloom between us. She may not realise it, but I can sense that she is beginning to like me through my hologram's form."

Jason nodded. "Sure," he said, "we can do that. I'll let her know that I'm just going out for a little while and she can do whatever she likes in the house while we're gone."

Optimus mirrored the gesture. "I'll be waiting for you outside," he said and his hologram whisked away without any hesitation or without much of Jason's knowledge unless he turned around to find he had gone.

* * *

While Jason went to tell his twin sister that he was going out for a little while with Tim, Optimus sat calmly outside, observing the scenery that lay out before him and behind him. But while he did that, he also thought about what Ratchet had told him.

The Autobot leader sighed gently, his hood jumping a little at his sigh. For some reason, he couldn't get Ratchet's question off his mind. It bothered him a little, but not badly enough to make him worry at all. Why did he feel so responsible for Jasmine's condition? Wasn't it obvious? It was only because he and his kind had brought their war to this peaceful planet...

Because of him, a Transformer, an alien, had brought this upon Jasmine because she had owned a truck that looked just like him. Because of that fatal, little mistake, Starscream had mistaken Silverflame for the Autobot leader and had hoped to kill him in the process. Instead, he had only ended up damaging an innocent young woman who had nothing to do with their war at all. This made Optimus feel worse than ever and he wondered if Jasmine would ever recover at all.

Optimus continued to ponder on this situation for a little while longer until he heard Jason coming out the house with the keys in his hands. He watched as he locked up the house and climbed into the driver's seat. He started Optimus' engine, but Optimus became aware that Jasmine was looking out the window with a strange look in her eye. He tried to ignore it, but the feeling of being stared at right through his frame and into his Spark made him feel uneasy.

Jason played around with his gear stick and gas pedals. Optimus reluctantly pulled out from the driveway and drove away from the house. Somehow, he could still sense that Jasmine was still looking at him until he and Jason disappeared around the corner.

Even as he drove, Optimus felt Ratchet's question boring down through him like a thick piece of glass slashing through the weakest part in his body. _"How far would you go in order to make Jasmine happy?"_


	7. A Believing Heart

I send my deepest apologies to everyone who has been waiting so patiently for the next update to this story. But lately, I've been suffering from personal problems and it caused my motivation and muse to take a backseat and drift off into nothing, but after reading how much people loved this story and that they have been pleading to me in their reviews to continue, I found the strength to go on. So thank you my loyal fans for sticking with this story and giving me what I needed to go on. But know this, I might end up disappearing again on this story because I have others to work on. So please enjoy those stories too while you wait for the next update. Thank you for your time, your ears, and your understanding. Until then, enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 7:**

**A Believing Heart  
**

As the massive Peterbilt truck drove down the streets towards a destination that only he knew, Jason Clark found himself zoning in and out of thoughts that were almost not his own. Ever since his sister had been involved with the accident and Optimus Prime had offered himself to become their official guardian until Jasmine had recovered from her ordeal, the young man could not help but think that it was a bad idea. Jasmine was hostile towards the vehicle and it left him feeling confused and useless. Just how exactly was Optimus going to convince her that he was her saviour without exposing himself to the world? Jason didn't know, but Optimus was going to have to tell Jasmine soon or else she would never recover from the accident.

Optimus too was lost to his own thoughts as well. While he drove to the very place that he believed he and Jason would not be disturbed, his processor was not completely on the road. His thoughts lingered to what Ratchet asked him the other day about how far he was willing to go to save the life of a young woman he barely even knew and who barely even knew him except by the name of his hologram form. Perhaps he might be able to spend some time with Jasmine if he could just form a friendship with her by using his hologram form to the best of his abilities. But what could he do to make their friendship grow?

"Optimus," said Jason, snapping the Autobot commander from out of his daze, "where exactly are we going anyway?"

If Optimus had his head, he would've smiled. Instead, he pulled out his hologram form that sat beside the young man and stared at him with warm blue eyes. "We are going to a place where my Autobot brethren once gathered after the battle in Mission City, where I sent a message to the stars," he smiled.

"And what place will that be?" Jason asked.

"You will find out," Optimus answered casually, his hologram's eyes focusing back on the road.

Jason nodded and leaned back in the seat, his thoughts returning to Jasmine. He was worried about his sister and he hoped that Optimus had some sort of idea that may be able to help her in her recovery. Since she saw the truck that was Optimus as a possible threat to her, he doubted that Optimus would ever be able to get close to her if he was himself, but maybe... his hologram might be able to stand a chance of getting through to her.

_Maybe it might just work,_ he thought as his gaze shifted over to the world that past right by. He then realised that the scenery had changed when they were driving through a forest. Frowning, he sat up and looked around as the trees flew right by. He was beginning to recognise the place, but he had to be sure if where Optimus was going was really true.

His thoughts were proven true when Optimus pulled up to a familiar lookout. The Peterbilt drove up a small steep hill, dirt kicking up from beneath his tyres as he made his way up. Finally, he came up alongside a massive oak tree and opened up his door to let Jason out.

Jason carefully slid out and Optimus transformed as slowly as he could so that the young man had enough time to step away from him as he shifted his pieces to and fro. As the wheels on his thighs spun around to a grinding halt, Optimus flexed his muscle cables and glanced down at Jason with his noble cobalt optics.

"I'll never get tired of watching your transformation," commented Jason. "It certainly makes you... well, more alien than you appear."

"I admit my transformation is strange," Optimus Prime chuckled as sat down beside the oak tree, legs crossing over each other as he made himself more comfortable. "Even I have a hard time working out what goes where."

Jason laughed and Optimus offered his hand out to him, inviting him to climb on up. The boy did so and set himself on the palm of the Autobot leader. Gently, Optimus lifted Jason up, up until he was levelled with a thick branch on the oak tree that was beside Optimus's shoulder. Jason slid himself onto the branch and stared at Optimus with curious eyes.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" he asked. "I know that it has everything to do with Jasmine. You told me yesterday that she had a seizure while I was gone to get my licence and Ratchet told you that it may happen again in her lifetime. So what are you going to do about trying to help her?"

Optimus was silent for a moment as his optics looked at the morning sun. The sun was already as high as it could go, its rays casting their warm glow across the world it looked down upon the two forms, but it caused the Autobot's metal to warm up faster than the boy's own skin. Optimus wondered how such an incredible planet could produce so much beauty. Back on Cybertron, all there was was darkness with only the two moons orbiting the planet providing some form of light.

He returned his attention to Jason, his optics showing their seriousness about the situation. "Jason," he said softly, "I am not going to lie to you. The situation regarding your sister is serious. Her injuries are beyond repair and she is suffering from brain damage from the accident as well. I cannot even begin to imagine what she is going through for I had never been involved in an accident as serious as that one. She was lucky enough to even survive such an incident, but I have my doubts that if it happens again, she will not survive another moment such as that one."

"Then what do you propose that we do?" Jason asked, leaning forward on the branch. "Dr. Smith said that it could take years for her to mentally recover. The way I see it, it doesn't even look like she will accept you as her gift. She's still traumatized over the loss of Silverflame and I doubt she'll ever get over it."

Optimus sighed and leaned back against the oak tree, his weight causing the tree to bend slightly, but it held its ground. "Honestly, Jason," he said, "I wish I knew."

"Well..." Jason said, pausing for a moment to gather up his thoughts.

Optimus blinked his cobalt optics and looked in the boy's direction, patiently waiting for him to speak.

"Well, I was thinking... you could get close to Jasmine by your hologram form. You told me before with the way she acted towards Tim Primo that she accepted you and allowed you to help her. Maybe you could form a friendship with her and when you think she's ready to see you as the true you, then you can reveal yourself to her."

Optimus frowned at the suggestion. Would it somehow work? If he got close enough to Jasmine without her seeing him as a threat to her life, then perhaps he may be able to help her recover even further if he could just convince her that he meant no harm to her life. But it would also mean that he would have to lie to her about who he really was until the time was right to show his true form to her.

"Are you absolutely sure you want this, Jason?" Optimus asked, his optic covers blinking in the morning sun. "Because once we go through with this plan and Jasmine reacts more hostile towards me, there is no going back."

"Absolutely," Jason answered thoroughly. "I know it means we'd have to lie to her, but I know it will work. Trust me, Optimus, I know it will."

Optimus felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips. For the first time since he had become the twins' guardian, he felt a small ray of hope shine through his spark, burning brighter than any star in the system he had explored during his long life. "Then I pray to Primus that it will work."

Jason nodded, smiling his response as he too felt the small beam of hope light its way into his heart.

"We should go back to your house," Optimus insisted. "Your sister must be worried about you."

"Isn't she always?" the young man chuckled as the Autobot leader offered his hand out to him. Slipping himself into the palm of the gentle giant, Jason was soon lowered back onto the ground and Optimus stood up to his full height. In a quick flurry of moving components the Peterbilt soon replaced the magnificent being that almost seemed to resemble that of a god. The truck then opened up his cab door and Jason climbed back in and strapped himself up.

Starting up his engine once again, Optimus reversed until he was back on the road. He honked his horn twice, and then made his way back into town with one of his charges safely secured.

"Uh," said Jason, getting Optimus's attention. "Just to be on the safe side so that Jazz doesn't get suspicious, do you think you could take me down to the store? We're running out of supplies and I may need to buy some things."

"Oh, of course," Optimus's deep baritone voice laughed.

* * *

Jasmine cursed angrily as she threw the pencil at the door of her room. The young woman growled as she rubbed her forehead in frustration, trying to clear her mind. Ever since Jason had left with the truck he had given her, she had been struggling constantly to try and draw the image of the being that had saved her life. Lately, the picture of the being was fading from her memory and it seemed that none of the pictures fit the description of what she remembered from her accident.

Grabbing her head with her good arm and burrowing her nails into her hair to try and rub away the frustration, Jasmine emitted another growl and bared her teeth. Once she had calmed down, she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, trying to think of what her 'Saviour' looked like. As far as she could tell, the image was as blurry as a malfunctioning television and all she could see was a tall, blue and red figure with kind, cobalt coloured eyes and a strong, proud stance in his body language.

(She had started calling her 'Saviour' a he because of his body shape and appearance.)

Strangely, though, the figure didn't come as clearly as she wanted it to, hence her frustration at herself. Sighing, she decided it was best that she give herself a break from her drawing. She stood up carefully and glanced around the room. Her desk was littered with coloured pencils and paper that had a variety of pictures of what she imagined that the being looked like. The only perfect image that came close to what she saw was the very first one did when she got back home from the hospital.

Shaking her head to try and clear some of the images away for the time being, Jasmine left her room and headed downstairs to fix herself a little something. After she had been drawing all day, she had at least worked up an appetite, even her dried up throat told her about her thirst.

When she made her way into the kitchen, the young woman attempted to make herself some lunch. But it was difficult due to her handicapped state. As she pulled out the butter, ham, cheese, and tomatoes from the fridge, her aching arm often screamed in protest. She quickly told it to kiss her ass as she pulled out some bread from the breadbin and tried to work on her sandwich.

However, because of having a paralysed arm that now lay wrapped up in a sling, Jasmine found it difficult to chop up the ham, the cheese and the tomato. She was almost about to give up and go hungry for the day when she heard a vehicle pulling itself into the driveway.

Frowning suspiciously, she left her work where it was and peeked through the window. Much to her surprise, she spotted Jason and a familiar looking middle-aged man carrying several bags and heading for the door. She recognised the man as Tim Primo and she felt a small smile tug at the corner of her lips. Somehow, she felt her frustration at being useless fading away into her head and replacing itself with relief.

Jason and Tim came through the door and placed the bags on the table as Jasmine trotted up to her brother and embraced him with her good arm. Jason hugged her back, obviously relieved to see his sister up.

"Hey, Jason," she greeted him. "I thought you had forgotten about the shopping."

"I nearly did until I remembered I had the shopping list," Jason laughed, blushing a little. "Anyway, look who I bumped into on my way out from the store." He motioned to Tim, who stood beside him, watching them quietly.

Jasmine turned and looked at the man, a smile forming on her lips. "Hello, Tim," she said a little shyly. "I-I never got a chance to say thanks for helping me during my seizure."

"It was nothing," Tim replied, removing his sunglasses and revealing the bluest eyes Jasmine had ever seen. "A friend in need is a good friend indeed. How are you feeling since I last time saw you?"

"Better than ok," Jasmine answered, nodding. "My arm has been troubling me a little bit, but it's not as bad as anyone makes it out to be."

"That's good," Tim replied.

Then Jasmine found herself being pulled away by Jason. She was surprised to see a look of concern in his brown eyes. "Jasmine, were you trying to make yourself some lunch?" he asked.

"Yeah," Jasmine said. "But it's been difficult with this bad arm."

"You could've just waited for me to get home and I would've fixed you something in a matter of minutes."

"No, I can do it," Jasmine protested, frowning at her brother's offer. "Besides, I was doing just fine until you got home."

"Perhaps," said Tim, stepping in, "I can make you your food, Jasmine. I know how much you love those sandwiches. It seemed that the pancakes I made you yesterday made you feel a little bit better."

Jasmine opened her mouth in an attempt to give off a nasty comment, but quickly shut her mouth when she realised that Tim was only trying to help her make things easier for her. She frowned before nodding. While secretly she wanted to do it herself, she had to admit it that Tim's cooking tasted a whole lot better than Jason's, not that Jason was a bad cooker or anything. It's just that her tastebuds were warming up to the fact of Tim's own cooking. Would it hurt her brother if she told him that Tim's cooking was better than his?

But before she could ask, Jason had pulled her towards the shopping bags and was shoving one of them into her chest. "While we wait for Tim to make you a sandwich, Jazz, how about you help me put this shopping away, eh?"

Jasmine laughed, somehow forgetting about the growing argument that nearly took place between her and her brother. She placed the bag back down on the table and started rummaging through it. Once she found the supposed items, she started putting them away into their correct places. By the time she and her brother had finished, Tim had already dished up the sandwich and had placed it onto the table at the left end.

"Hope this is the one that you like best," said Tim.

Jasmine looked at the sandwich. She blinked her eyes in surprise. It was not just perfectly well cut into rectangles, but it was also neatly arranged into the way she liked it: cheese on the bottom, tomatoes in the middle, and the ham directly on the top. She felt her tastebuds kick into action and she could not help but let a little drool slide onto the corner of her mouth. She came back to her senses when she felt a napkin wipe her mouth.

Shocked and surprised by the touch, she jumped back nervously, surprised to see Tim laughing at her reaction as she touched the spot where he had just cleaned her face. Jason was laughing too and she found it a bit embarrassing that a man older than her or her brother would wipe her face like her father did when she was a baby. She looked away, cheeks flushing a bright reddish pink.

"I apologise if I startled you, Jasmine," Tim said once he had regained control over himself. "But obviously you weren't going to clean yourself up and no one else was either. So I thought I should be the one to do so."

"Uh, thanks, I guess," Jasmine answered quietly, still shocked at the gentle touch of the man.

"Go on and sit down and eat up," Tim chuckled. "Jason and I will be in the lounge room talking."

Jasmine nodded as Tim walked up beside the young man and led him away into the lounge. As Jasmine bit into her sandwich, her thoughts somehow started to swirl with curiosity at the man called Tim. She had now met him twice and already she was beginning to feel her hostile nature fading away into nothing. But she was still sceptical about him, wondering why he would go all the way through just to help her out. Wherever Jason went, Tim was always nearby. And wherever Tim went, the truck was never too far behind either.

It was almost as if the truck and Tim were more connected to each other than she realised. She shook the thought off and continued to eat, but her thoughts of the blue and red truck was never far from her mind. Somehow, both Tim and the truck were oddly familiar, but she could not quite put her finger on it. Pushing the thought aside, she went on chewing on her lunch.

Once they believed they were out of earshot, Jason sat himself down in the soft couch while Tim set himself on the opposite side of the room. The hologram form of the Autobot commander was very impressed with how neat and tidy it was and he certainly could not believe the fact that it was free of dust and other things he usually detected whenever he visited Sam's house to check up on him and Bumblebee.

"Your home is a lot better than I imagined it to be," he said to the young man, smiling as he adjusted his sunglasses. "I have never seen such a tidy house like this before."

"Well," said Jason, "Jasmine is allergic to dust, so we have to get it tidied once a week by hiring by a professional. Ever since our parents died, we've been struggling with having to pay our bills. Before you came along, Silverflame was the last gift our dad gave to Jasmine. She'd treasure it like a mother treasures her child, often talking to it whenever she believes I'm not around. She loved that truck so much that she even started to believe that our dad's spirit possessed it."

"You humans have an odd way of thinking," said Optimus, his hologram head nodding.

"Yeah," agreed Jason. "I thought it was odd too, but I got used to it. She still thinks I don't understand, but deep down, I actually do. Silverflame meant everything to her. That's why she's so devastated over the loss. It was her whole world."

"I think I can understand why she is so hostile towards my truck form," replied Optimus. "She thinks I'm replacing Silverflame. I've got to convince her that I am not trying to replace her old friend, but I'm here to help her get well again."

"Then spend time with her like you said you would back at the Lookout," Jason pushed. "Get her to trust you. You can't just keep attempting to make her food every single day, she'll get suspicious. Try and get her to ride in you or something like that."

Optimus's hologram emitted an electronic sigh, his form flickering slightly before he returned to being solid again. He then nodded once in Jason's direction and then cast his cobalt eyes towards the kitchen, his own thoughts lingering with ways of how he was going to earn her trust without exposing himself. He remembered what Ratchet asked the other day and it continued to plague his processor the more he thought about Jasmine's condition.

"_How far will you go in order to make Jasmine well again?"_

He didn't know what to do anymore. He really needed to think properly on this one and soon, or else Jasmine would very continue to fade away from the very people who cared about her. His hologram form stood up to its 6'0 height and glanced down at Jason with his cobalt blue eyes, his age old wisdom shining brightly.

"I promised myself I would make Jasmine well again, and I will," he told the boy. "Starting from tomorrow, I will begin attending to her needs every step of the way."

"What will you be doing for the rest of the day?" Jason asked, tilting his head to one side.

Optimus was silent for a moment before he answered Jason again. "I will be out attending to my duties as Prime. While everything is quiet around here, I shall go and patrol around the block. Can you manage without me?"

Jason smiled and nodded. "Yes of course. Do you know when you'll be back?"

"By around dinner time," replied Optimus softly. "I need time to think on the situation before I make my decision on what to do with Jasmine's condition. Should anything go wrong with her, you know exactly what to do. She's only had one seizure this week, but there is no guarantee that she won't have another."

"You're worried about her, aren't you?"

Optimus hesitated for a moment. While was worried about Jasmine's wellbeing, he didn't exactly think he was that worried about his charge until now. Was he really starting to warm up to the woman more than he liked to? Was it even normal to consider how much he was determined to make her come out of the shell that she had built herself around her heart?

There was only one thing he could do and that was to think a little more on the situation before anything else. He had taken it upon himself to put his charge's needs above his own, even shirking his own duties just to make things better for her again, to give her a happy life that she desperately needed.

"Yes," Optimus answered sombrely, "I am worried about her. Ratchet told me that her seizures may cease as she grows older and her body gets used to the changes in her system, or they grow more frequent and may happen when we at least expect it. The best thing I can do for now is to concentrate on opening up those walls she has built around herself. Until I break through, I will continue to see her through my hologram's eyes."

The boy almost felt a chill run down his spine when Optimus spoke in a stern tone, knowing that it meant Optimus wanted his secret to remain safe behind sealed lips. Any words of his true existence spat out to Jasmine would result in consequences that neither Optimus nor Jason could even begin to comprise. Until then, Jason must continue to treat Optimus's hologram as if it were a real human being.

When Jason looked up from his thoughts, he saw Optimus walking back into the kitchen to talk with Jasmine. He was frightened for his sister's wellbeing, but as long as Optimus was here, she may eventually recover from the accident, mentally that is.

When Jasmine had finished her lunch, she was surprised to find Tim walking towards her from the lounge room, his cobalt blue eyes shining brightly in the sun's rays as the leaked through the window. She frowned a little suspiciously as he walked towards her and gently placed a beefy hand upon her left shoulder.

"How was the lunch?" he asked.

"It was better than I imagined it to be," Jasmine answered politely.

"I am glad that you enjoyed it," Tim said, his mouth pulling into the kindest smile she had ever seen. "Perhaps we can do something together someday when you are ready."

"Really?" Jasmine asked, her eyes widening in surprise. "But why would you do that? Don't waste your efforts on me."

"I am not wasting my time on you, Jasmine," said Tim. "I am merely trying to help you to get better mentally. Your brother told me about your accident and wants nothing more than you to get better."

"I-I'll think about it," Jasmine stuttered. "Maybe... when I feel like I can get back on the road again. I don't think I'll ever get over the loss of Silverflame. He meant everything to me."

"Loss takes a long time to get over, Jasmine," Tim said softly. "But in order to heal properly, you must learn to forgive yourself by starting from the heart. Keep telling yourself that it is not your fault that your friend perished. The truck, after all, saved your life."

"He did?" Jasmine asked.

"From your point of view, yes," Tim said. "If it had not been for that seatbelt that you were wearing, you would've surely died."

"I would rather be dead rather than here," Jasmine admitted sadly. "No one would miss me and I would be able to see my parents again."

"But your brother would miss you," Tim pressed on. "He would be loss without you. You are the only family he has left and he does not want to let you go that easily. It might seem to you that your brother may not care, but deep down, you know it's true."

Jasmine felt tears trickling down the side of her cheeks, but she quickly wiped them away before Tim noticed them. Truth be told, she missed her parents after they had been killed in a car accident in Mission City nearly four months ago. Now that she and Jason were living on their own, things were a lot harder now and she was secretly scared about it, frightened by the fact that their tight budget would make things even a lot difficult for them than she liked to think.

Tim removed his hand from her shoulder and wiped her cheek with a handkerchief he had contained in his pocket. "Know this, Jasmine," he said kindly, "you are not alone in this world and Jason and I will be with you every step of the way. We'll take it one step at time. Until you feel that you are ready to face your fears, you concentrate on getting better."

"I'll try, Tim," Jasmine whispered. "I promise."

"That's a good girl," Tim chuckled as he gave her a quick embrace, though during the hug, Jasmine was a little surprised at how cool he felt. She was confused at first, but shook it off, knowing it would be rude to ask why he was so cool and not as warm as she expected him to be. "Now I'm going to borrow your truck for tonight. I'll bring it back before dinner time. So I'll see you later on tonight?"

Jasmine just nodded and handed Tim the keys to the truck her brother had given her.

"Alright," said Tim, his hand clutching onto the keys tightly, "I'll see you later, then."

He then gently petted her hair, ruffling it up a little bit with his sausage-like fingers and then left the kitchen. Several minutes later, Jasmine heard the truck's engine start up and reverse out of the driveway. Once again, the truck was gone from her sight and she let off a silent breath of relief. She didn't have to worry about it staring at her every second of the day, and she just wished that she would get over her fear.

But as Tim said, it took time to get things over with. Somehow, she found herself warming up to Tim and she felt her heart skip a small beat. Dismissing the though, she stood up and put the plate on the sink before heading back upstairs to complete her drawings. She should hear the television had been switched on and she knew that Jason was watching something.

Rolling her eyes as she walked into her room, she picked up the pencil she had thrown earlier this morning, and went back to work, the image from her dreams returning to her.


	8. Let It Go

Oh god, I am so, so, so, so, so, so sorry! Damn muse suffered a REALLY bad writer's block on this one! I can tell the number of times I have struggled with this chapter. If there was any word in any language that could describe how truely sorry I am... then I'm just gonna lie down and die. I'll leave you to it. If you need an update on what has happened so far, then I suggest going back and reading this.

* * *

**Chapter 8:**

**Let It Go**

Over the past several days, Jasmine had been constantly haunted by strange images in her every time she slept. Over and over again, those memories of the towering figure that pulled her out from her truck during the accident continued to plague her mind as though it would never leave her alone. Sometimes she found herself drawing the figure in different images, while other times she got it as right as she possibly thought until she got upset with the picture and threw it into the trashcan beside her desk.

Whenever Jason was downstairs watching television, Jasmine was always in her room working on her drawings, checking for email updates on her computer, or looking out her window down at the blue flamed truck sitting in the driveway. Many times when Jasmine came down the stairs to have breakfast, lunch, or dinner, she always saw Tim in the kitchen preparing her favourite meal. However, when she'd offer to fix him a little something, he would always decline politely and tell her that he always came prepared.

Those times she would shrug it off and then eat at the table with Jason while Tim sat with them and talked with them endlessly about things that Jasmine had never even heard of before. Tim seemed like a queer person, sometimes even weird, with the way how he talked about things. One minute he was talking to Jason about what happened during the day's events, the next he was giving interesting talks to Jasmine by asking her questions about her life.

From what Jasmine learned, Tim was involved in the military life as a veteran solider, and had been working this way for at least several years. At the moment he was off duty and was taking time away from the military life to spend time with his family. Jasmine found it fascinating that Jason had become friends with such an experienced person on the battlefield. Still, the thought of Jason suddenly meeting and befriending this person struck her as suspicious. She never knew he had any friends in the military. So just what the hell was going on anyway?

"Jasmine, you ok? You haven't said a word nor eaten your food since we sat down to eat dinner."

The young woman blinked her eyes and glanced up from where her thoughts had taken her to and found both Jason and Tim looking at her with concerned eyes. Jason's plate of food was already half gone, while hers had remained untouched. Beautifully cooked beef with mashed potatoes, peas, carrots, and pumpkin stirred her nostrils and made her mouth water. She smiled; putting on her usual brave face, as she picked up the fork with her good hand, taking a scoop full of mashed potatoes coated in peas and gravy, and put it in her mouth. She chewed it gratefully for several seconds before swallowing and savouring the flavour of the divinely cooked meal Tim had set up for her and Jason.

"I'm fine," she replied. "I've just got a lot on my mind, that's all."

"Does it have something to do with whoever pulled you out from the truck?" Jason asked, lifting an eyebrow.

Jasmine sighed and nodded. "Yeah," she replied softly. "My mind has been haunted day in and day out about what he looks like, who he is, and where he came from. Every single day I try to draw whatever image my mind thinks of, but I just can't seem to get it right. I only got it right once when I was in the hospital during my recovery, but whenever I try it again, nothing good comes out of it."

She felt a large hand rest upon her shoulder and give her a light squeeze in a reassuring manner. She glanced in the direction and saw Tim looking at her with kind eyes. "When you've finished your dinner, meet me in the lounge room and we'll talk."

Jasmine nodded and resumed her eating. Jason and Tim returned to a quiet conversation and she only half-listened quietly, not often catching what they were talking to each other about. Her thoughts continued to drift in and out of her dreams. She could even recall how often in the morning when she slept at her desk, she would wake up and find a blanket over her shoulders to keep her warm. She was so distracted from her thoughts that she hardly realised she'd finished her dinner until Jason gently tapped her on the shoulder to bring her out of her dream zone.

As she put her plate on the sink and washed it up, she found her gaze wandering over to the window and her eyes rested upon the blue-flamed truck that continued to sit quietly in the driveway like a chrome angel, watching over her and her brother. She shook her head, dismissing the thought. She took her walking stick and limped over to the lounge room, sitting down in her chair.

She soon became aware that Tim had followed her into the room when he sat down on the chair opposite to hers. For several minutes, the two sat there in constant silence, neither saying a word to one another. Jasmine bowed her head, thinking of what Tim was going to say to her and what he was going to do. When she thought the silence was dragging on for too long, she was about to get up and leave when Tim cleared his throat.

"Jasmine," he began, his tone calm, but serious, "I wanted to talk with you alone because what I say to you stays between us. Yes, your brother may need to hear it, but I know some things that even you don't know. Your situation in regards to your injuries is serious, but it isn't as serious as the harsh life of the military."

"What are you talking about?" Jasmine asked quietly. "I don't understand."

"What I am trying to say, Jasmine, is that I know what you are going through," Tim replied gently. "Your accident involved in you getting hurt, and your injuries are causing you to think things that you normally don't think. Am I right?"

Jasmine opened her mouth to say something, but couldn't find it in herself to respond to Tim's question. She knew he was right. Deep down, she was in a fight within herself. It was a desperate struggle with her inner being. The turmoil that had been inflicted upon her brain had caused her to become obsessed in finding out more about what had happened to her and who her saviour was, forcing her to isolate herself from the rest of the world. To think that this actually happening to her really frightened her.

Much her surprise, she found herself sobbing to the point where she was bringing up hiccups, and even where her breathing had become complicated. In a matter of seconds, she found herself being enveloped in a strong pair of arms, holding her tightly close to a broad chest that offered her comfort and protection from whatever was hurting her mind.

Through a blur of tears, she realised that she was blabbering on about things she never knew she would say, things that shocked even her. But with every flap of her mouth, Tim would constantly tell her that everything was going to be alright, and that he was here for her to listen to whenever she needed someone to talk to. It made her feel less afraid and less determined to find out more on what happened.

"It's time to let go, Jasmine," Tim whispered. "Let go of this obsession bring an end to this suffering you are going through. Let it go."

And Jasmine did. She let go of everything that haunted her very being. She even let go of her Silverflame. He was gone and he was never coming back to her. Never again would she be able to have a truck like him again, and never again was she going to ever have a friend like him.

"It's alright, Jasmine," Tim whispered. "I've got you. I'm not going to let you fall any lower than you've already fallen. Let it all out."

Just when Jasmine couldn't cry anymore tears, she found herself drifting off into darkness, and as she did, she failed to notice that Tim was looking down upon her with eyes that shone with kindness and understanding, and an ageless wisdom that had seen so much in the many years of his immortal life. Only sickness and fatal injuries could tear him apart from this young world he had grown to call home.

He gently set her down on the lounge and Jason handed her a blanket to cover her over with. Once he did this, Jason leaned forward and kissed his twin sister on the forehead.

"Sleep well, little one," the deep baritone voice of Tim whispered, and he phased out.

* * *

Throughout the night, Optimus kept a constant vigilance over Jasmine. His sensors were on high alert as the night swept over the town like a gentle blanket being dragged across the Earth. Every five minutes, he would check on Jasmine to make sure that nothing happened to her during her sleep. Sometimes he would find the blanket had fallen onto the ground and he could pick it up and put it back on. Other times he would find that she had stirred and shifted to a different spot before snoozing onwards.

Optimus had thought that Jasmine was going to be hostile towards him again when he brought up the issue of her suffering, but to his surprise, she had reacted a whole lot differently than to what he had expected. He sent a report to Ratchet of what had happened, and Ratchet told him that the burden of suffering both physically and mentally had worn her down to the point where she couldn't take it anymore and it needed to be released from behind the dam that blocked her off from the outside world. Optimus had been fortunate enough to be the shoulder needed to cry on. It broke his spark to see her like this, but he kept on pushing until she gave in and cried every last drop of tear in her system. It was a start to getting Jasmine on recovering from her ordeal.

Even as the night drew on, Optimus never once let down his guard as he watched over the house of his two charges. Once, an owl hooted, disrupting him from his guarding night duty and he nearly felt the need to transform and attack it until he realised what it was. Was he nervous? Probably. But he didn't want to think about questions right now. All that was on his processor was the thought of protecting the ones who were under his careful watch.

He hadn't realised that morning was slipping in until the warm sunshine glistened on his red and blue chassis and warming him up a bit. If he had his head, he would've shaken it to clear some of his exhaustion away. But he wasn't in the mood for a recharge, and now was the time to greet Jasmine and check to see how she was doing.

He produced his hologram into the spot where he had last left her and found her still sleeping on. Although she seemed to be sleeping peacefully, Optimus wasn't fooled when he saw the scrunched up look on her face, as though she was dreaming a terrible dream that had her in its frightening grip and was determined not to let go of her.

He lifted a human hand and placed it upon her shoulder. With careful gentleness, he shook her, and she gave a startled yelp and bolted up right, sweat dripping from the sides of her head and down her forehead. She looked up at Optimus' holographic face and saw him looking down upon her with concern.

"Are you alright, Jasmine?" he asked softly.

"Y-y-yeah," Jasmine stuttered as Optimus pulled the blanket off of her and handed her walking stick, helping her to sit up properly. "It was just a nightmare. It's nothing new."

"You've been having these dreams before?" Optimus questioned, lifting an eyebrow.

Jasmine just shrugged and carefully stood up, looking over at Optimus' hologram with curious eyes. She then shook her head and headed over to kitchen just as Jason was heading down the stairs to cook up some breakfast. "Did you stay by my side all night long?" Jasmine asked as she sat down at the table.

Optimus nodded. "Yes," he answered. "After you finished crying and passed out, I decided to watch over you while you slept. It's the least I could do for you."

"Why are always doing these nice things for me?" Jasmine questioned. "Ever since I've met you, you've been doing nothing nice stuff for me, treating me like I'm sort of glass that is fragile to the touch."

"It is what you are at the moment, Jasmine," Optimus replied. "You are fragile, and last night was proof of that."

"I don't understand, Tim," the young woman snapped. "What are you trying to do?"

Silence hung in the air for a brief moment until Optimus sighed and stood up to his full height, his bright blue eyes gleaming in the morning light. It seemed like Jasmine hadn't learned what he had learned and was back to being her hostile self. Jasmine seemed to flinch underneath his stern gaze. When he realised he was pushing it a bit too much and was bristling slightly, he calmed down and sighed again.

"I'm sorry, Jasmine," he said softly, "I'm not trying to do anything except wanting to help you get better. That's all I want to do for you. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Jasmine," Jason called as he walked over and gently placed his hands on her shoulders, "Tim has experience with people who are suffering from traumatic incidents. He's my friend who only wants to do what's best for you, that's all."

"So he's a shrink?" Jasmine cried out, leaping to her feet. "You brought in this guy just so he could examine my head?"

"That's not it at all," Optimus answered, his tone still calm and filled with endless patience. "Jason asked for my help because he only wants to help you get better. I'm merely doing what he has asked of me."

In a matter of seconds, Jasmine went from angry to downright shocked, and she ended up sitting back down on her chair. Jason and Optimus watched as she seemed to be struggling with understanding what was happening right now. Optimus wanted to reach forward and comfort her again, but something told him that it was best to let her think about it and let her brother help her out for a little while.

"Remember, Jasmine," Optimus whispered, "let it go."

Jasmine looked up at Optimus with misty eyes, as though she was trying to decide whether or not to trust him. Optimus knew that the best way to get through to her was to let her know that he was here for her no matter what she said. He would always be there for her.

Optimus watched as Jason leaned forward and brushed a lock of hair from Jasmine's face and behind her ear. He realised that it was a sign of affection for a human at least, but he turned his head away to give them their privacy. If they wanted to talk alone, he would gladly turn off his audio receptors out of sign of respect. He took a few steps away and headed back into the lounge room, quietly listening to the gentle twitters of bluebirds that sat on the branch of a tree outside the window.

Fascinated, he recorded the song of the birds for a while until the bird flew away. Satisfied with what he had done, he returned back to the kitchen just when Jason finished consoling Jasmine. The two looked up at Optimus as he entered and he smiled fondly at the two, and they both smiled back in return. Jasmine then stood up and approached Optimus.

They stood there, staring at each other for a few moments before Jasmine stepped forward and embraced Optimus, burrowing her face into his shirt. In response, Optimus wrapped his large arms around her. He thought he heard sobbing noises, but they quickly ceased before he could grapple what had just transpired.

"I'm sorry for what I said, Tim," Jasmine breathed.

"I know, Jasmine," Optimus whispered. "I'm sorry too."

"You don't have to be," Jasmine replied. "You had every right to be angry at me. I just wish I could take it all back. I'd do anything to get your forgiveness."

Optimus thought for a moment. Maybe there was a way she actually could. "There is something you can do for me."

Jasmine blinked and looked up at him with wide, confused eyes. "What is it?" she asked.

"How about we start over," Optimus said. "Start from the very beginning between you and. I would like to be your friend if you would let me, Jasmine."

Jasmine seemed quiet, saying nothing in response to Optimus' suggestion. Optimus thought she may not want to start all over again between them. For what seemed like forever and Optimus was about to give up, Jasmine smiled and nodded her head. "I'll be happy to start our friendship all over again, Tim," she chuckled.

"Then how about we start over like this," Optimus suggested, and he held out a hand towards her. "I'm Tim, Tim Primo."

Jasmine laughed and took his beefy hand in hers, shaking it in return. "I'm Jasmine, Jasmine Clark."

From the sidelines, Jason watched everything. From what he could see with Optimus and Jasmine starting all over again, it would seem that things were beginning to look up for his sister. He hadn't heard her laugh in many weeks since her accident. Maybe Optimus really was the best hope for her recovery.

_One can only hope,_ he thought with a tender smile.


	9. Beginning of a Friendship

Oh my gosh! I must be really crazy if I've gone on a submitting spree again! Alright, enough nonsence. Please enjoy this cute chapter that I've been dying to put up! :D

* * *

**Chapter 9:**

**Beginning of a Friendship  
**

Jasmine heaved a deep sigh as she stared up at the ceiling of her room. She was well aware of the nightly owl that sat up in the tree that overlooked her room, hooting softly before flying silently into the night. The only light that illuminated her room was the lamp on her desk beside her bed. She'd moved it back to its original position after her discussion with Tim. Now that she and Tim had vowed to forget about the past, she had decided to start by forgetting about attempting to draw the picture of her saviour. By doing that, her strange dreams no longer haunted her anymore and her thoughts were as clear as clean water. It made her feel less vulnerable and more confident in herself than she gave credit for.

Her eyes shifted over to her desk, her thoughts bubbling with the same craving that drove her to draw. However, she pushed it aside and turned on her side, facing the wall with tired eyes. Sleep seemed impossible tonight, just like how her paralysed arm had become a nusiance ever since she had gotten it in a sling. Without the sling, it was useless and hung limply against her side.

"Take it easy, Jazz," she whispered to herself. "Just try and get some sleep." She was about to close her eyes and get some sleep when she heard a knock at her door. She sat up quickly, being mindful of her arm, and faced the door. "Come in."

The door opened to reveal Tim in his usual clothing. But the cowboy hat she always saw him wearing was hanging behind his back on a string that was wrapped around his neck. She was amazed at how different he looked without it. His hair was jet black with bits of gray in it.

Tim came on over and sat down on the edge of her bed, his kind blue eyes looking into her own with concern. "Hello, Jasmine," he greeted. "I noticed your lamp was still on and I thought I would come to check up on you. Are you having trouble sleeping?"

Jasmine nodded. "Yeah," she replied, brushing some of her hair out of her face. "I've been getting a lot on my mind. Mostly questions about you."

The older man seemed a bit hesitant in responding to Jasmine, but then a smile appeared on his face and he patted her on the shoulder. "I have questions I want to ask about you too, but we cannot talk now. You need to rest and get your strength back up to speed. I have something in mind that we can do in the morning."

"What's that?" Jasmine asked, lifting an eyebrow as Tim tucked her underneath the covers like her father would do to her before he passed on.

"You'll find out in the morning," Tim chuckled. "Now get some sleep."

"As you command," Jasmine remarked sarcastically as she lay down to sleep.

"Trust me, Jasmine," Tim chuckled as he turned off the lamp, "its better off you don't know until morning. It would ruin the surprise I have in mind for you."

Jasmine watched as Tim headed for the door and he glanced over his shoulder at her for a moment. For that moment, their eyes locked onto each other until Tim sent her a warm smile and departed. Once he was gone, Jasmine rested her head on her pillow and stared at the wall for a few more seconds until her eyes closed, taking her into a deep, dreamless sleep.

* * *

"You want me to what?" Jasmine squeaked.

She stood before Tim in the driveway in front of the blue-flamed truck. It was morning, and the sun had only just started to rise from in between the houses in the West. Tim had woken Jasmine up early, got her to quickly eat her breakfast, have a small shower, get dressed, and had her meet him out the front of the house. Now, Tim had made a suggestion that she climb into the truck and he will drive her into the city, much to her horror.

Tim nodded at Jasmine's question. "I think it's time that you got out of the house and into the truck," he said. "You need to get your confidence back up in learning how to drive. I discussed this with your brother last night and he agreed with me. We'll do it slowly, as I am fully aware of your fear of this truck."

The young woman's gaze shifted from Tim to the massive truck that sat quietly in front of her and her friend. She could feel her heart pounding inside her ribcage. Even her brain felt like it was swelling inside her skull until it threatened to explode. Was she ready to get in the truck and begin her journey into fully recovering from her ordeal? She didn't know, but deep down she felt hostile and afraid towards the innocent looking vehicle. She could've sworn that it was watching her and appearing to hold its breath.

Tim walked over to the passenger's side and opened the door, which creaked effortlessly. He made a motion for her to come forward, and, as though she was being pulled by some invisible force, she found herself taking slow steps towards the vehicle. Much to her surprise, she found herself coming around the door and standing quite close to Tim. He offered his hand out to her and she slowly took it as he slowly helped her into the seat.

Jasmine thought she was going to be sick as Tim slowly closed the door, telling her that everything was going to be alright. She believed his words and she leaned back into the passenger's seat. She thought she felt it envelop her in an act of a hug and warm up faster than she realised. It was as though the truck knew she was afraid and was doing everything in its power into making her feel comfortable.

Her thoughts and suspicions were soon taken away when Tim climbed into the driver's seat and sat beside her. "We're taking this slow, Jasmine," he reassured her. "Just tell me to stop and I will do so."

When she said nothing in response, Tim seemed to take that as doing fine with what he had in mind. Slowly, he turned on the ignition and the truck roared to life. Jasmine flinched nervously, but nothing happened as she expected it to. She took a deep breath and put on her seatbelt, remembering the golden rule of the roads.

She watched as Tim fiddled with the gearstick, putting it into reverse, and backed the truck out as slowly as he could. It was as though he was attempting to make this easy for Jasmine to get used to again after not having been in a truck for a good long time ever since her accident.

Jasmine couldn't remember much during the trip, but all she could see was blurring images that passed by the moving truck. And as the truck moved towards their destination, her worries, fears, and hostility soon started to fade away into nothing and she forgot about why she was hesitant about getting into it in the first place. She hadn't noticed that Tim was often shooting careful glances at her whenever she wasn't paying attention to what was in front of her or on her left and right.

Soon enough, excitement began to flow through her blood, bringing a smile to her face. It was smile she hadn't smiled in many weeks since the accident. She turned to Tim and asked, "How about some radio?"

"I don't see why not," Tim chuckled and he reached forward to turn on the radio, tuning it into the way she liked it. Eventually, Jasmine found her bobbing her head to the flow of one of her favourite songs that played through the speakers.

_**You know the bed feels warmer**_

_**Sleeping here alone**_

_**You know I dream in colour**_

_**And do the things I want**_

_**You think you got the best of me**_

_**Think you've had the last laugh**_

_**Bet you think everything good is gone**_

_**Think you've left me broken down**_

_**Think that I'd come running back**_

_**Baby you don't know me, 'cause you're good as gone**_

_**What doesn't kill you makes you stronger**_

_**Stand a little taller**_

_**Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone**_

_**What doesn't kill you makes a fighter**_

_**Footsteps even lighter**_

_**Doesn't mean I'm over 'cause you're gone**_

_**What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger**_

_**Just me, myself, and I**_

_**What doesn't kill you makes you stronger**_

_**Stand a little taller**_

_**Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone**_

_**You heard that you were starting over with someone new**_

_**They told you I was moving on, over you**_

_**You didn't think that I'd come back**_

_**I'd come back swinging**_

_**You try to break me, but you see**_

_**What doesn't kill you makes you stronger**_

_**Stand a little taller**_

_**Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone**_

_**What doesn't kill you makes a fighter**_

_**Footsteps even lighter**_

_**Doesn't mean I'm over 'cause you're gone**_

_**What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger**_

_**Just me, myself, and I**_

_**What doesn't kill you makes you stronger**_

_**Stand a little taller**_

_**Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone**_

_**Thanks to you I got a new thing started**_

_**Thanks to you I'm not the broken-hearted**_

_**Thanks to you I'm finally thinking about me**_

_**You know in the end the day you left was just my beginning**_

_**In the end...**_

_**What doesn't kill you makes you stronger**_

_**Stand a little taller**_

_**Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone**_

_**What doesn't kill you makes a fighter**_

_**Footsteps even lighter**_

_**Doesn't mean I'm lonely 'cause you're gone**_

_**What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger**_

_**Just me, myself, and I**_

_**What doesn't kill you makes you stronger**_

_**Stand a little taller**_

_**Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone**_

_**What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger**_

_**Just me, myself, and I**_

_**What doesn't kill you makes you stronger**_

_**Stand a little taller**_

_**Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone**_

_**(When I'm alone)**_

As the song faded out and one that Jasmine didn't know started playing, she realised that Tim had taken the truck down into the middle of the city and had already parked it near a mall. He'd hopped out and had opened the door, waiting for her to get out while holding onto her walking stick. Puzzled, she carefully climbed out with the assistance of Tim until she was back on solid ground. Relief swept over her and she could've sworn that the truck gave a groan and shifted forward slightly before coming to a halt.

"Let's go," Tim insisted, motioning her to follow him.

"Where are we going?" Jasmine asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You'll find out once we get there," Tim chuckled and he set off at an even pace that Jasmine could keep up with. As they entered the building, Jasmine followed closely beside Tim, her eyes never leaving the older man's face. However, he didn't seem all that focused on her. Rather he seemed determined to find something by any means necessary.

They took a few right turns, and a single left for several minutes until Tim stopped at store called _Bengal's Pets_. "The pet shop?" she asked, eyes widening. "Why are we here for this?"

Tim's only response was a smile. He entered the store and Jasmine followed him again. He approached a desk and whispered something to the gentleman with African brown skin, friendly green eyes, and a strong body build at the counter. The gentleman quirked an eyebrow and then laughed before heading into the back. Jasmine glanced at Tim with questioning eyes, but he continued to avoid her gaze, as though he really was hiding something from her.

A few minutes later, the gentleman returned while carrying a bundle of fur in his arms. To Jasmine's shock, it was a one month old, midnight black Siberian husky puppy with intelligent sky blue eyes, and a plastic bag with a dog bowl, a leash, and some puppy food. The gentleman handed the puppy over to Jasmine, and the bag to Tim. Then he winked at Jasmine before saying to her, "You're lucky to have met a guy like him," before picking up a cloth and started wiping the counter down.

The puppy looked up at Jasmine with wide eyes as she shook herself from out of her shock and Tim led her out of the store. Once they got outside, Jasmine turned to face Tim with an expression that would've told the whole world that she was still in shock at what he had given her.

"Surprise, Jasmine," Tim laughed, gently petting the puppy on the head.

"I-I-I don't know what to say, Tim," Jasmine breathed as she continued to stare at the puppy. "Does Jason know about this?"

"It was his idea that we get you a companion to make you feel better," Tim answered honestly. "I just merely made the call and paid online. The owner of the store was kind enough to hold onto this one since he had heard about your accident on the news." He chuckled again and scratched behind the puppy's left ear. "Her name is Midnight."

"Midnight," Jasmine whispered. "She's beautiful, Tim. I couldn't have asked for a better gift and a better friend."

Midnight gave Jasmine a lick on the nose to show her affection and Jasmine giggled. Oh how Jasmine had missed laughing, and it made her feel better to do it again. She took a step forward and hugged Tim to show her thanks. She really didn't know what to say to express her happiness. All that mattered was that she had a true friend to share in her despair and her recovery.

"Come on," Tim said once Jasmine had released him from her embrace, "we better get back to the truck."

The young woman nodded and, with Midnight constantly wagging her tail, headed back with Tim towards the blue-flamed truck. She should probably stop calling it 'The Truck' and give it a name just like her Silverflame. But not right now. Thinking of a name for her new truck would take too much of her time. She was going to have her hands full with looking after Midnight.

"We're here, Jasmine," Tim called, snapping Jasmine out of her thoughts. She hadn't noticed they'd walked out of the building and had returned to the truck's side. Tim had opened up the door for her and was waiting for her to climb in. She placed Midnight inside the truck and was about to climb in when she heard a deep bark sounding right behind her and a man's startled cry.

"Ace, come back here!"

Jasmine turned in time to see a large brown and black Doberman heading straight towards her with a young man trailing behind and waving his arms frantically, ferocious black eyes gleaming in the morning sun, and drool dripping from its mouth that bore sharp canine teeth. Jasmine yelped and struggled to get back into the truck, but her bad leg wouldn't move. All she could do was scream as the dog drew closer and was within leaping distance.

"Jasmine, look out!" Tim's voice cried as he, with lightning fast reflexes, stepped in between her and the Doberman. The Doberman latched onto Tim's arm and dug its fangs deep into his warm flesh. It was Tim's gasp of pain and the slight jump of the blue-flamed truck that startled Jasmine into getting her to move again. She rushed forward and attempted to get the Doberman off of Tim, but a warning look from Tim told her not to interfere or else she might get hurt.

Tim lifted a hand and easily pried the Doberman off of his arm, despite it being known for its jaw locking abilities. The dog gave a startled yelp and fell backwards onto his side. It looked at Tim with wide, brown eyes. The older man stood tall enough to look intimidating and took a few steps forward, causing the Doberman to freeze in fear. This allowed its owner to leap onto it and pull it away from Tim.

"Oh my God!" Jasmine gasped as she came towards Tim. "Are you alright?"

"I'll live," Tim replied as he struggled to stop the bleeding on his arm.

But as Jasmine came closer to help tend to his injury, she suddenly drew back in horror when her eyes lay upon Tim's broken flesh. Instead of human blood bleeding from his injury, a glowing blue liquid thicker than water leaked out of it.

Tim glanced up at her with sullen eyes, as though he had a hidden truth in him that would make her freeze with shock. "Jasmine... there's something I have to tell you."


	10. Secrets and Regrets

Ugh, how many times must I apologise for the fact that I haven't updated a story in Primus who knows how long? I suppose I should blame Birth for that one. It's such a distacting story, really. *rolls eyes at herself* But here is the chapter you've all been waiting for. How will Jasmine react to the fact that her friend has secrets that he's been hiding from her since they had met? Oh, you'll see. :P

* * *

**Chapter 10:  
**

**Secrets and Regrets  
**

It was a long and painful moment as Jasmine continued to stare at the thick, glowing, blue liquid that leaked out from the bite marks where the Doberman dog had bitten. She didn't breathe nor say a word as every aspect of her being remained frozen at the sight of what she was seeing. The strange liquid was oozing out like pus from an infected wound, making it shown to her instead of the Doberman's owner that was pulling the howling animal away. The pleading look in Tim's eyes brought her back into reality as she rushed into the truck and began to search for a med kit that she recalled Jason storing away inside its glove box. Once she found it, she hobbled back over to Tim and began searching for any bandages that would be able to prevent the injury from bleeding any further.

"Jasmine, please," Tim tried to say, "there's no need to treat it. It doesn't affect me like you think it does."

But the young woman ignored him as she started cleaning the wound carefully with a dab of disinfectant, making Tim flinch from the touch and a barely noticeable shudder from the truck beside her. She then wrapped it up carefully in a bandage, earning a strange creaking noise of metal from behind her. Nothing mattered more to her than tending to her friend.

As she put the disinfectant back in the med kit, she placed it back in the truck's glove box and turned to stare at Tim with a calm look in her eyes. "You owe me a _huge_ explanation, Mr. Tim Primo," she huffed angrily, folding her arms across her chest. "And when I mean by huge, I mean a _very_ big explanation."

Tim nodded his head slightly in response. "Yes... you do deserve an explanation as to why I bled blue blood instead of the normal red you are used to seeing," he said softly. "However, we cannot talk here. Too many are listening in and I may speak of things that they really should not even be hearing. Please get in the truck, Jasmine. I'll help you in and we'll go somewhere where we will not be overheard."

Jasmine chewed her bottom lip and she quietly made her way over to the truck where Midnight was waiting patiently for her master to get in. With the assistance of Tim, Jasmine was securely seated in the truck's passenger's seat. She watched Tim cautiously as he opened the door to the driver's side, climbed in, and ensured his seatbelt was on. Much to her surprise, he didn't even bend over to ignite the truck's engine. Instead, the truck started by itself as Tim sat back and let the truck drive by itself.

"How did you...?" Jasmine squeaked, her mouth agape.

"_All will be answered momentarily, Jasmine,"_ a voice echoed from the truck's speakers that sounded a lot like Tim's voice. The voice used a deep baritone that Tim used; only it had a bit of a metallic tone to it and was a lot deeper than it naturally was. She eyed Tim that sat beside her while he was staring emotionlessly outside the truck's windshields, her eyes never straying from the man's face.

All the while she stared at him, she hardly became aware of the fact that the truck was taking her somewhere she hadn't even been before. The only thing that she did notice was the fact that Midnight had climbed into her lap and was panting excitedly. She was forced to take her eyes off of Tim for a moment when he suddenly flickered out of sight. Jasmine jumped out of surprise, and she would have broken through the roof if she had not been locked down by her seatbelt (which had suddenly tightened its hold on her).

"T-Tim?" she stuttered. "W-where are you?"

There was no answer as the truck mysteriously continued to drive itself while Jasmine's fears grew stronger and she was forced to tighten her grip on poor Midnight, who was wiggling in vain to get away from her master's choking hold.

"_Jasmine,"_ the voice from the speakers spoke up again, this time it was a bit fatherly, _"you would do well to lessen your hold on Midnight. I believe from the way you are holding her, you are cutting off oxygen to her windpipe."_

When she realised what she was doing to poor Midnight, Jasmine released her hold on the puppy. Midnight gave off a whimper of relief and she turned to her master, looking up at her with soft brown eyes, and then licking her on the nose. Jasmine responded by carefully wrapping her arms around her tiny body, whispering her apologies. Midnight wagged her tail happily and gave a little yip to let her know that there was nothing to forgive. The distraction was enough to prevent the young woman from paying attention to her surroundings and forgetting about the fact that Tim had just vanished out of thin air until the truck came to a sudden halt, thus causing her to glance up in puzzlement.

Much to her surprise, they had stopped at an unusual place, a place she had never even seen before. Or maybe it was a place that she never even noticed before. The truck had parked itself beside a huge oak tree that overlooked a beautiful piece of land with hills and trees in the distance, followed by the sun as it was beginning to set, creating a variety of different colours, ranging from bright yellow to dark purple. The truck then opened its passenger's door and carefully tilted slightly on its opposite side to help Jasmine get out. She managed to grab her walking stick and slid out, but not before she picked up Midnight and settled her beside her feet.

Once she was safely out of the truck, the massive vehicle seemed to make a shuddering noise as it backed up a few meters until it left her standing alone beneath the tree. Then, it came back to her and its front bumper nearly touched her knees.

"_You are wondering my reason as to why I brought you here, yes?"_ the truck asked.

Jasmine remained silent, uncertain as to how to answer the vehicle's question. She still wanted her answer on why Tim had bled blue blood instead of the natural red she was used to seeing, and why he had suddenly disappeared without a trace in the world. It had left her dumbfounded and nervous, but it also left her feeling doubtful.

The truck seemed to make a heaving noise, blowing air out of its smoke stacks almost as though it was sighing. _"Jasmine, the reason why I brought you out here was because what I am about to show you must never, ever be given to another human. I must have your word that you will never tell another soul."_

She sighed and nodded. "You have my word," she answered quietly.

"_Then please remain where you are and... try not to be frightened,"_ the truck said in a tone that made Jasmine feel less frightened and more comforted by the fact it meant her no harm. _"What you are about to see will change things between us."_

Before Jasmine could give her reply, the truck started shifting metallic parts in a variety of different directions. They kept on changing and moving as gears clicked and hydraulics hissed. From beneath the truck emerged a pair of humanlike legs, each foot was paired with two large toes to support the giant's massive weight. The legs grew taller until a torso began to form with the arms spreading themselves outwards and a pair of hands with at least five digits stretched and flexed. The windows of the truck shifted to rest on the chest and the smoke stacks rested in between the upper arms and shoulders, acting as a form of connection between them. Then finally, a familiar head complete with cyan blue lens focusing eyes, strange humanlike lips, metal pieces in the middle of the face that looked strangely like a nose, and tall antenna with a twisting disk in the middle of each one completed the transformation.

The metallic being then carefully got down on its knees and drew close to Jasmine, its soft blue eyes gazed into her own with a warm, kind, and comforting presence that immediately put her soul at ease. The being was so strikingly familiar and yet, so alien at the same time. Unexpectedly, she reached a hand out to the being, her arm stretching to its length until her fingers brushed against the lips of it.

"It's really you," Jasmine whispered as realisation entered her brain. "You're the one who pulled me from out of the wreckage. Even though I was barely conscious, I could make out almost every aspect of your form. Except... all I saw was the outline."

The robotic being's lips pulled into what Jasmine thought were a smile. "Then you are not afraid of me?" it asked in a deep baritone voice that she identified as male.

She pulled her hand away as she felt tears trickling down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away in an attempt to hide her joy over the fact that she had found her saviour, but it was all too much. "At first, I was," she answered honestly. "But all this time, you've been right underneath my nose, and I didn't even know."

She took a deep breath and looked into the giant's eyes once again.

"I do believe my saviour has a name, does he not?" she asked, lifting an eyebrow teasingly.

The robot pulled away, his smile never once leaving his lips. "Yes," he answered, "my name is Optimus Prime. I am an autonomous robotic organism from the planet Cybertron – or Autobot for short. I and my men have been on your planet for only six of your Earth months."

"That's a fitting name for someone like you," Jasmine replied as she looked up at him with awe and wonder. "I knew my saviour was big, but I never knew that he was _this _tall."

Optimus seemed to understand that her neck was getting a crick, so he bent down on one knee and extended his hand out her, offering her a place to sit on. She did so, but not before she picked up Midnight and settled her onto her lap as the massive Autobot stood up to his full height and he was looking at her at eye level. Jasmine continued to stare into his eyes, her own never leaving his, and for the moment, the both of them felt at peace.

Then, Jasmine broke the silence, asking, "Does Jason know about your existence?"

Optimus said nothing for a moment as he turned his head away from Jasmine, looking at the sunset behind her. He seemed to be in deep thought about something on whether or not he should consider giving her the truth or not. He then turned his head to look at her, his twisting optical lenses shrinking and growing along with his thoughts.

He nodded. "Yes, Jason knows of my existence," he replied. "I went straight to him the moment I learned about your recovery in the hospital. I felt responsible for what had happened to you and I wanted to extend my regret for ever letting Starscream harm you."

"Wait," Jasmine cried as she held up her hand, halting Optimus, "you're saying that jet that attacked me and Silverflame was one of your own?"

Optimus remained silent as he cast his gaze to the ground, suddenly finding it far more interesting than looking into the eyes of his charge. He took a deep intake of air before exhaling it and he seemed to pluck up the courage to look into her eyes again. "Starscream was not one of my own," he answered honestly, although his voice was sullen. "He is a Decepticon that wants nothing more than the destruction of the planet that you call home. He attacked you, Jasmine, because he mistook your truck for me. That is why you're the way you are."

Jasmine's hands tightened their grip on Optimus' larger hands. She suddenly didn't feel very well and she wished that her stomach would just puke. She turned her head away from him, closing her eyes tightly. Midnight made a whimpering noise as she attempted to lick the young woman's face, but Jasmine shoved her away as her vision blurred with tears. Silverflame was dead all because of an identity crisis.

"Jasmine, look at me," Optimus whispered, causing her to look back at him again. He lifted a hand and used a finger to wipe her cheek in a comforting manner. "I wish very deeply that I could go back in time and change everything that caused your paralysis. I cannot help but feel that I am responsible for what has happened to you. I would do anything to make you better again, even if it extinguished my spark."

"But Silverflame is dead because of you!" Jasmine cried angrily, the tears falling faster. "If you didn't have those stupid flames, then I wouldn't be like this and my truck would still be here. Now the only gift my father gave to me is gone and it's all your fault!"

For the first time, Optimus was dumbstruck by the human's outburst. He didn't know what to say in response to her anger. Instead, he listened as she punched him endlessly on the hand, screaming and shouting while shedding tears. She continued to cry out until she suffered a seizure, causing her to shake violently and she tasted blood in her mouth. It took her a full minute to realise that she had bitten her tongue in the process. She felt Midnight nudge her shoulder and curl up beside her in an attempt to provide some comfort.

There was nothing Optimus could do except stroke her back with his index finger to let her know that he was here and that he wasn't leaving her side. He felt that he owed himself to the human for what had happened to her.

When the seizure finally passed, Jasmine realised she had begun to sweat and was badly shaken from the experience. She spat to the side, the blood coating the grass beneath the gentle giant. She pushed herself up and wiped away the dried salt streaks on her cheeks, and she noticed her nose was blocked with mucus. Optimus continued to eye the young woman with compassionate optics that left her completely astounded.

"I am sorry for your loss, Jasmine," Optimus whispered softly, his tone sullen. "I truly am. If there was anything I could do to make things right between us, then I would with all my power."

Jasmine frowned as she chewed her bottom lip, taking a deep breath to calm her trembling body. She didn't know what to say to the giant being that had saved her life. Yes, she was eternally grateful and that she finally got to meet him in person. However, the fact that it was because of him being similar in paint design and truck model just made her feel angry and upset at the exact same time. She wasn't sure what to say or do as she continued to stare at him and she leaned against his fingers, her gaze never leaving his soft look.

"Tell me," she said for the first time since her seizure. "Why do you care so much to even help me after my accident?"

Optimus' lips formed into a tiny smile that surprised her completely. "As I said to you, Jasmine," he answered, "I felt responsible for your accident. Every innocent being that gets caught up in our war will never be able to live a peaceful life. You didn't deserve to get involved in the war that has been raging for millions of years."

The young woman tilted her head to one side as she petted Midnight's head gently, earning a little bark from the black puppy. "If it makes you feel any better and if you want to get a burden off your shoulders, Optimus, then I accept your apology. I've spent the last several weeks drawing you in the way I thought you might look like. I just never thought I would get it right the first time nor did I expect to know that he would be right underneath my nose."

Optimus let off a deep, rumbling chuckle that vibrated through his hand, causing Jasmine's spine to tingle and the hairs on her arms to stand up on end. He then brought his head closer to her and Jasmine no longer felt nervous. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his face as wide as they could in what she would call a hug. She then pressed her lips to his nose, earning an expression that left her confused.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing," Optimus her answered. "I did a bit of research on the World Wide Web and human females usually kiss someone to express affection for someone. Is that what you had intended?"

Jasmine giggled. "No," she replied. "That kiss was a lady's way of saying thank you."

The Autobot Commander lifted an optic ridge. "You humans have an odd way of expressing gratitude," he said, shaking his head. "But if that is the way you wish to do it, then it is fine with me."

She smiled and nodded as she picked up Midnight and cuddled her gently, while Optimus watched with a knowing optic. She gently stroked the puppy's head and burrowed her head into the soft, youthful fur. Midnight wagged her tail furiously as Jasmine petted an itchy spot, causing her to lift a leg and react accordingly.

"She seems to like that," Optimus rumbled.

"Animals like it when you give them a good scratch in a sensitive spot," Jasmine chuckled as she continued to pet Midnight. "It just shows how much that they enjoy being coddled by their owners."

As the sun continued to set, Jasmine brought Midnight closer to her chest and she leaned against Optimus' fingers, her bright eyes gleaming in the sun's fading rays that began to change the sky's colours. Together, all three watched as it vanished behind the hills and left behind a starry night sky and a cool blanket of darkness. It wasn't long before a full moon rose to replace the sun. Its bright moonbeam illuminated the land beneath it, making Optimus appear to be a statue of silver and black.

Jasmine stretched her good arm and yawned tiredly, earning a deep chuckle from Optimus.

"I think it's time that we headed back home," he said. "You are tired and it has been a long, stressful day for all of us. Besides, I think Midnight deserves to see her new home."

The young woman pursed her lips into a pout, which Optimus wisely ignored. No doubt she would become stubborn if he didn't act soon. He carefully got down on one knee as he placed her back on solid ground, and then transformed into his vehicle mode. He leaned on his side and brought out his hologram. But instead of the human she was used to seeing, standing right before her was a smaller version of the Autobot commander himself.

Jasmine blinked in surprise as the 6'8 tall mech gave off the familiar smile she was used to seeing. "Do not be afraid, Jasmine," he said in his natural baritone voice. "This is merely an experimental hologram of me that I have been working on with Ratchet for a long time since my arrival on Earth. It seemed plausible that I would... give it a test drive."

She couldn't contain the laughter in her voice as she picked up her walking stick with Midnight tucked beneath her good arm, and she limped over to Optimus. He extended his left hand out to her in a gentlemanlike way – all the while taking her walking stick into his right, along with Midnight – and she took the offered hand. She was surprised at how warm and life-giving it felt compared to his natural form. Optimus then led her over to his truck form and helped her up the difficult step. He then helped her strap in and handed her walking stick and Midnight.

The hologram then phased out and reappeared beside her. However, it was not his smaller version of himself, but rather the human hologram she knew as Tim Primo. "Avoiding suspicion?" she asked, lifting an eyebrow.

Optimus nodded. "Yes," he answered. "Whenever I use this hologram and we are in public, it would be wise to call me Tim. However, when we get back to your home, I shall use my other hologram when I am interacting with you and Jason inside the house. It is only natural that you wish to talk with what I really look like."

"I understand," Jasmine smiled. She then frowned. "Jason hasn't seen your other hologram?"

He shook his head as the engine roared to life by itself. "No, although I suppose he is used to seeing what I look like. So it is without a doubt it will not bother him at all to see the, uh, smaller version of myself."

Jasmine let off another yawn, and Optimus smiled knowingly at her. "Look, I'm not tired," she protested. "I just have a lot to absorb into my brain."

"Then you will do well to rest your eyes until we get back home, Jasmine," Optimus answered. "We Transformers can go weeks without recharging if we do not use a lot of energy or if we have to travel far in certain conditions. Do not worry, I will wake you when we arrive home."

She looked ready to protest again when another yawn escaped from her mouth, earning a chuckle from her guardian. She muttered inaudible words stubbornly, but she knew that he was right. To her surprise, the seat lay back in the form of a bed and it softened itself to give her more comfort. It suddenly grew warm in the truck and she had to thank Optimus for being so kind in wanting to make her sleep as comfortable as he possibly could.

"Rest, Jasmine," Optimus' voice from the speakers whispered. "All will be well. I promise."

"Thank you, Optimus," Jasmine replied as she turned on her side, closing her eyes. "Thank you for everything."

A hand rested on her head and it stroked her hair gently, removing the strands that got in the way of her vision. The feeling was so nice that it caused Jasmine to drift off into a warm and comforting darkness.


	11. Hunter and the Hunted

**Chapter 11:  
**

**Hunter and the Hunted  
**

The drive back to Jasmine's house seemed quite peaceful; at least that is what Optimus had hoped and with Midnight curled up on Jasmine's lap while watching her sleep, he could concentrate on driving. The night was still young, and it would be an hour before they would reach their destination. Sometimes his hologram's eyes shifted over to the young woman and he always ended up brushing away some of the black strands of hair that fell over her peaceful face. She seemed so relaxed in this position, and so vulnerable too. It made Optimus feel slightly protective of her like a father would for his children.

This thought made him raise an eyebrow in puzzlement. Him being protective of her? Wasn't that normal for a guardian with his charge? Bumblebee had once said that he too felt the desperate need to protect Sam at all costs. Well, now that the thought of Sam crossed his processor, he should think about introducing Jasmine to both him and Mikaela sometime. He hadn't even seen her interact with other humans during the time he had known her, so it seemed appropriate that he would have her be a bit more sociable with her own kind.

He would have to talk with Jason about it in the morning, but right now he had to focus on getting Jasmine safely back home.

Suddenly, Midnight started growling, surprising Optimus completely. He turned his head to see the black puppy was sitting upright and looking through his window. Her tail was raised high along with her hackles, a low growl was heard from deep within her throat.

Optimus recalled from researching on the World Wide Web about organic animals being highly sensitive about certain things, especially during earthquakes. From what he knew, humans took extra care when their animals begin acting weird. This may be one of those events. "Midnight, what is it?" he questioned the puppy.

Midnight's growls grew louder and she started barking lowly, low enough to warn Optimus that something was wrong. With his sensors going off like crazy, Optimus quickly scanned the area and he realised what Midnight had been growling at the whole time. It was a very familiar black and white Saleen police car, one that bore a familiar symbol. It took him at least a few astroseconds to realise who it was: Barricade.

Having two passengers inside him and with a Decepticon no doubtfully going to chase him, Optimus had no choice but to disturb Jasmine. He reached a hand forward and gently shook her on the shoulder to awaken her, causing her eyelids to flutter open and look up at Optimus with puzzlement.

"Optimus," she groaned as she stretched her muscles, "what's going on?"

"Be quiet, Jasmine," Optimus ordered sternly as he covered her mouth with a hand, earning a surprised look from the young woman. "Whatever you do, do not look out the window, and do not panic."

"Why, what's wrong?" Jasmine mumbled through the hand, her eyes widening with fear.

When Optimus didn't respond, he immediately detected the rise of temperature in her body and the quickened heartbeat inside her chest. He also detected a rush of adrenaline being poured into her bloodstream, and her breathing became quick. Worry made Optimus' spark pulse quicken as it too pumped energon throughout his body at an alarming rate. He kept himself from showing the fear on his holographic face, for fear that Jasmine may overreact. He didn't need to tell her that they were being followed by an enemy of his people. From the looks on her face, she seemed convinced enough to not breathe a word.

Barricade seemed to detect Optimus' pulsing spark for he drew closer towards his victims and began flashing his beacons, signalling for them to pull over. Anguish flew through Optimus' body but he knew that he must comply or else risk losing everything he knew and loved. However, something inside him told him that he shouldn't pull over, even if it was part of the law.

He glanced down at Jasmine and he could see her fear as she pulled Midnight closer to her chest and curl up even deeper into the passenger seat. In response to her growing fear, Optimus softened the seat in a fatherly embrace, letting her know that he was here and that he would protect her with his life if he had to.

"Are you afraid, Jasmine?" he whispered to her.

She nodded, tears filling her eyes as she reached out to him for comfort. He responded by taking her hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Fear will help you to survive, Little One," he told her. "However, it can also cloud your judgement if you are not careful. It can heighten your senses and it can make you faster or stronger, depending on how you choose, but it can only last for so long. Use that fear to your advantage."

He looked her straight in the eye, a serious expression on his holographic face.

"Do you trust me, Jasmine Clark?" he asked.

Whether she heard him or not, he didn't know, but when he saw her nod her head in response, love warmed through his body that told him exactly what he needed to do. He flipped up the gearstick to the highest setting and his back wheels spun wildly, smoking as he pulled away from Barricade. He heard the Decepticon coughing after having smoke get into his articulators.

As Optimus pulled away, he could detect Barricade giving chase. Though he wasn't very fast compared to neither Bumblebee nor Jazz, he had power and endurance on his side. He gunned down even faster as Barricade attempted to close the gap between them, his audio receptors were filled with Jasmine's nervous whimpering. Was something wrong with her? He didn't know, the only important thing was getting Jasmine away from the Decepticon hunter at all times, even if it cost him his life.

"West Side Freeway," Jasmine screamed over Optimus' furious engine roar. "Turn onto the West Side Freeway!"

Optimus didn't need to be told twice as he turned to the right and onto the freeway. The sirens behind him blazed furiously and he was grateful for the fact that the long road was completely devoid of incoming traffic.

"_Optimus, this is Ironhide,"_ Ironhide's familiar voice called through Optimus' internal com-link. _"We just detected a Decepticon energy signature that's right on your tailpipe. What the frag is going on?"_

Some of the fear withdrew itself from his spark as he heard Ironhide's voice come over the com-link. _"Ironhide, I've got Barricade hot on my aft and I can't seem to shake him! No doubt he's after Jasmine. Let the authorities know that I need a clear road."_

"_Captain Lennox has just ordered the authorities to take care of everything,"_ Ironhide answered. _"It was a good thing Ratchet and I were doing some patrol around the town. We're heading straight towards you even as I speak."_

"_Hurry, Ironhide, I don't know how much longer I can keep this up, and Jasmine is frightened enough as she is,"_ Optimus cried as the desperation was frantic in his tone. He probably couldn't blame himself for being concerned for the wellbeing of his human, but he had to protect her no matter what. He tried to push his engine to its limits as he pushed even further down on the throttle and setting his gearstick to its highest setting.

"_We're coming, Optimus, just hold on until we arrive. Our current ETA is twenty minutes."_

Twenty minutes was too long, and Optimus wasn't sure if he could keep up this speed for much longer. With the way how he was going in a straight line and the way how Barricade was closing the distance between them, he would have no choice but to do the unthinkable if he was to protect _his_ little Jasmine.

"Optimus, I'm scared..." Jasmine whispered in the gloom as he felt her hands tighten their grip on his seats.

"I know, Jasmine," Optimus spoke calmly, despite the fear he was feeling inside his spark. "I'm afraid as well. I will stop at nothing to protect you, even if I have to give up my own life. I will not let Barricade harm you."

Jasmine's pounding heart seemed to calm when he spoke, and he detected the body temperature drop a little. He would give anything to protect Jasmine. She meant everything to him, and he had only just told her the truth about what had happened to Silverflame, but not the whole truth. He hadn't exactly been honest with her. Frag it to the Pit! He'd be damned if Barricade even thought about touching her!

"_You're mine, Prime!"_ Barricade snarled as the blaring sirens flashed even brighter in Optimus' rear-view mirror. Then he detected an all too familiar shifting noise, a noise that gave every Autobot or Decepticon an adrenaline rush as they performed their transformation sequence.

To Optimus, everything seemed to slow down as he watched Barricade from behind in his side-view mirrors. The black and white mech's transformation into his bipedal form was slow and easy to predict. Timing was everything if Optimus was to get Jasmine out of this alive. One wrong move and he was finished or Jasmine would get seriously hurt.

He watched as Barricade leapt forward, arms extended and red optics flashing dangerously in a predatory like way. In a dangerous response – he mentally prayed that he wouldn't regret this – Optimus slammed on the brakes and he reduced his gearstick to the lowest setting, causing Jasmine to scream and Midnight to howl frantically. Barricade flew over the Autobot commander and rolled several times as Optimus grounded to a halt and twisted himself until driver's side was facing where the Decepticon had fallen.

"Jasmine," Optimus spoke up, catching Jasmine's attention as she came out from her state of shock, "I need you to get out and take Midnight. Get as far away as you can while I fight Barricade. I promised myself I would get you out of this alive, and I am a mech of my honour."

"No!" Jasmine cried firmly, tears streaming down her cheeks as she leaned forward to embrace Optimus' dashboard. "I won't let you do this! Please don't leave me, Optimus!"

"This is for your own safety, Jasmine," Optimus stated. "As a guardian, it is my sworn duty to protect you... no matter the cost."

"Optimus... please..." Jasmine begged pathetically. "I don't want to leave you to fight that monster..."

"**Jasmine, now!**" Optimus commanded at the top of his voice. "**I'm not going to tell you again! Go now before Barricade will do more than harm you!**"

When his tone changed, Jasmine flinched in fear. She nodded, knowing that arguing with a powerful mech that was roughly twenty times her size was extremely pointless. She picked up Midnight carefully and grabbed her walking stick.

She hobbled furiously to get away from the road just as Optimus completed his transformation. She continued to move until she was well away from the battlefield, glancing back over her shoulder just in time to see a silver mask slide into place. It covered up his facial features, shielding him from any kind of physical attack from the enemy. She saw him glance at her and his bright blue optics illuminated in the moonlit night. She could have sworn he said something to her before he turned his back on her just in time to get a punch in the face from Barricade.

Optimus barely managed to block the second incoming punch with a wrist. He was eternally grateful for his massive height as he towered over Barricade. But Barricade was a dangerous mech, even to those who were taller than him. He was not a hunter for nothing.

The blue and red Autobot transformed his hand into a blade just as Barricade flung his mace at him. The mace wrapped around the blade's middle and Optimus felt the strength from the tug. However, he was undeterred as he used his other hand to grab the mace's chain and tug it backwards, forcing Barricade to stumble. As Barricade got closer from the stumble, Optimus raised his knee and slammed it dead centre into his midsection, causing the Decepticon to howl in agony and spit out energon that splattered onto Optimus' mask.

The energon stained his mask blue as it dried upon contact, but he ignored it as he charged forward and tackled Barricade to the ground. Barricade hissed violently as he struggled under the weight of the massive Autobot. Optimus lashed out with his sword towards Barricade's throat, but the mech rolled aside as the blade ended up piercing dirt instead. Barricade then gathered his legs beneath his body and kicked Optimus straight in the face, shattering half of his mask, but the furious glare upon his face was enough to make any Decepticon tremble at the sight, but not Barricade.

"You will hand me the girl, Prime!" Barricade hissed as he managed to back away several steps and stare into the face of the Autobot commander. "Starscream will reward me handsomely for capturing her."

"Why do you even want her, Barricade?" Optimus snapped as his mouth formed into a growl. "She's not part of this war!"

"She is now that you are protecting her," Barricade smirked.

Before Optimus could respond, the small Decepticon transformed into his vehicle mode and drove at high speeds straight towards the Autobot commander, who was blinded by the headlights that shone brightly in his optics. It was enough for Barricade to get at Optimus and slash at his side, earning a cry of agony. Energon dripped from the large cut on his side and he used a hand to cover up the injury and try to stop the bleeding. He glanced down at the opening, only to see more energon gushing out like an erupted volcano.

"_Ratchet, I'm badly injured!"_ Optimus announced. _"What's your ETA?"_

"_Frag it, Optimus!"_ Ratchet hollered. _"You just can't keep yourself out of trouble. ETA is ten minutes."_

_Frag,_ Optimus considered bitterly, _not enough time._ He glanced over his shoulder to catch a glimpse with his night vision of Jasmine trembling in the dark as she clutched Midnight tightly to her chest. He knew she was scared for his wellbeing, but he couldn't focus on that right now. Despite his injuries, he could still fight for a little while longer. He could detect his internal systems were working on doing minor repairs to the opening in his side and no doubt it would make him stiff later... if he survived later.

"Soon your precious human will belong to the Decepticons," Barricade snarled from the darkness, causing Optimus to look up just in time to twist his head to the left to avoid getting a punch in the face. "It's time for you to die!"

The next thing Optimus knew, the small mace transformed from the hand and pierced into his right shoulder. He felt the spikes burrow deeply into the armour and he gritted his dental plates to avoid spilling out a cry of pain. He would not give Barricade the satisfaction of being in pain, otherwise weakness would be a way of showing that he had indeed injured him seriously. He raised the hand that was armed with the blade and hacked off the mace from its chain.

The shock of having his mace sliced off from its chain was enough to have Barricade back off and Optimus took advantage of the situation by raising the blade and slicing off the rest of the arm that was bonded to the chain, earning a satisfying howl from the Decepticon's mouth. More energon fell onto the ground and merged with Optimus' own. Struggling to ignore the incoming wave of pain, Optimus then released an upper backhand slap that caused Barricade to fly through the air and crash into a nearby sign, which shattered underneath his weight.

Optimus stalked up to the fallen Decepticon, still clutching his side painfully to stop the bleeding. Once he was in plain view, he stared maliciously into his red optics, the midnight moon lightening up his bright blue optics, turning them silver. He slapped a foot down upon the Decepticon's chest plates and applied some pressure that was enough to make him gasp for air.

"Why does Starscream want Jasmine?" Optimus demanded, his tone lowering dangerously.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Barricade shot back. "He should be here right about..."

A bloodcurdling scream echoed from behind Optimus and he whirled in time to see Starscream making a grab for Jasmine and she ended up dropping poor Midnight as he picked her up in his clawed hands.

"**JASMINE!**"


	12. Carried On Leather Wings

**I apologise for the lateness of this chapter. I know many people have been dying to find out what happens next after my evil cliffhanger. Apparently I had left this story on the backburner for a good long while, lost and forgotten until realisation struck me dead in the brain at the last minute.**

**I must also apologise for the shortness of this one because... well, mainly because I have a way to further my plan in this story. Sorry, I cannot tell you what it is until the moment is right. Without further ado, let us continue this dark and dangerous road that is my insanity! Mwahahaha!  
**

* * *

**Chapter 12:  
**

**Carried On Leather Wings  
**

Starscream's vicious laughter echoed through the night as Optimus cried out his charge's name, Barricade forgotten for the time being. He mentally cursed himself for not noticing his sensors pick up the arrival of a flying Transformer and snatch her up until he had heard her cries. Optimus wasn't even sure if Ironhide and Ratchet were going to get here in time to assist him in getting her back.

The Decepticon held Jasmine tightly in his clawed hands while Midnight barked frantically up at him at his pedes in an attempt to get him to drop her master, but he seemed to be ignoring the little earth creature. He grinned wickedly at the helpless look of _the_ Optimus Prime, who was stuck between holding Barricade down at blade's point and risking the loss of the human at his own hands.

"Careful, Prime," Starscream warned coolly. "One wrong step and your precious human is as good as dead."

Jasmine whimpered pathetically as he jabbed a sharp claw into her side, penetrating her clothing. If he had been paying much attention, he would have noticed the bristling of Optimus' battle armour. Fury was as clearly seen on his face behind his half-broken mask that dangled uselessly on one side.

"_Ironhide,"_ he privately com-linked, _"what's ETA now?"_

"_ETA is five minutes,"_ Ironhide replied. _"Why, what's going on?"_

"_Starscream is here and he has Jasmine hostage!"_ he snapped.

"_Frag! Hang on, Optimus, we're coming!" _The sound of engines being pushed to the maximum poured through the com-link, but Optimus ignored it, focusing back on what was happening right in front of him.

"Let her go, Starscream," he bellowed, silverly blue optics squinting in the moonlight. "It's me you want, not her!"

Starscream waved an index digit at the Prime. "Demands, demands, Prime," he smirked, shaking his head dismissively. "It's all you ever ask for these days. No, I don't think I will let her go. In fact, I want to enjoy watching you suffer as I hold what is dear to you in the palm of my servos."

To prove a point, he squeezed Jasmine tight enough to make her squeal the Autobot commander's name.

As she squealed, Optimus' insides almost seemed to crack along with her pain. Horror flickered across his optical sensors for no more than a few seconds before Starscream slackened his grip slightly. Jasmine's head lolled to one side, and Optimus knew that she had slipped into unconsciousness.

More anger gnawed in the pit of his spark chamber as he struggled to hold back every ounce of himself in order to prevent from making the wrong move. "What do you want from me?" he hissed, his voice desperate.

"First of all," Starscream replied casually, "I want you to step away from Barricade. If you do not, then your little human friend will cease to exist." His digits twitched slightly to show he wasn't kidding around.

Optimus' optics shifted from Starscream to Barricade and back to Starscream again. The insides of his chassis screamed it was a trap, but if he was to save Jasmine, then he had no other choice. Everything was riding on his decision. He knew it wasn't too much longer before Ratchet and Ironhide arrived on the scene, but the injury on his side wasn't going to let him hold out on his own for very long either. He let his optics offline for a moment, thinking carefully on the situation that was before him, his processor calculating the odds of success. What could he do without endangering Jasmine? He didn't know and he knew that he couldn't do anything without letting her get hurt even further.

He was out of options.

The blade's tip lowered from Barricade's main energon line and he took several steps back from him, but he never removed his furious gaze from Starscream, malice and hate seen as clear as day on his faceplates.

Barricade got to his feet and quickly limped over to Starscream's side. Starscream seemed perfectly satisfied with the outcome and Optimus' cooperation, the gleeful look on his facial features confirming this as such.

"I let Barricade go, Starscream, just like we agreed," Optimus called. "Now you'll uphold your own end or the bargain."

Starscream glanced from Barricade to Optimus then to Jasmine, who was still out cold from the pain. "You're a fool, Prime," he laughed mockingly. "Just like how you've always been. Your compassion has always been your weakness!"

"What?" Optimus cried with alarm.

"You see," continued Starscream, ignoring Optimus' spoken words, "I have plans for this human that I think you'll find most impressive to say the least. So I think I'll hold onto her a bit longer to ensure that you don't come after us."

"**Never!**" Optimus snarled as he re-transformed his hand back into the blade. "I won't let you take her from me!" Ignoring the pain in his side, he rushed straight towards Starscream, fury flashing in his optics and his blue and red battle armour trembled violently along with his emotions. He attempted to bring his sword upwards, but the sharpness of the pain prevented him from fully performing the action and he stumbled.

Starscream took advantage of this by lashing out with his unused servo in a swift motion. His claws extended to a certain angle and he scraped them across Optimus' unprotected faceplates, removing the rest of his battle mask. With his cranium flying to one side and being unable to fully calculate what was going to happen, Starscream kicked out with one leg and a foot connected with the Prime's midsection, causing him to fall on his injured side. A cry of agony echoed from his vocal processor as he fell to the ground.

He struggled to get up, but he was forced back down on the ground when something heavy planted their full weight upon his cranium that pushed his faceplates in the dirt, his mouth filling up with the disgusting earth.

"You're as pathetic as you've ever been when you faced Megatron back in Mission City, Prime," Starscream snarled darkly. "You couldn't even defeat him and you let a human kill him for you." He applied more pressure to Optimus' helm, his clawed foot crushing it slightly between his toes. "It's such a shame that your Autobots aren't here to see me finish you off," he continued. "The looks on their faces would have been worth it as they watch me crush you beneath my pedes."

Optimus said nothing in response to the Decepticon. He was far too busy struggling to breathe thanks to the dirt getting inside his articulators. A part of him wanted to do everything in his power to get Jasmine back, but another part of him told him he was far too badly injured to even help her. He knew that Starscream wouldn't have the circuitry to finish him off. Rather he wanted him to suffer until every fibre in his chassis was broken and unable to continue the fight.

_Jasmine..._ his thoughts whispered.

The weight on his cranium was soon lifted off and his sensors told him that the heavy foot was dangling just several feet off above him, almost as though Starscream seemed to be preparing for the finishing blow.

_I'm sorry..._

His sensors warned him that a high velocity mass was descending upon him, but then suddenly halted when Barricade spoke up, "Sir, incoming energy signatures. It's Ironhide and Ratchet."

Starscream let off a snarl of furious anger and then spat at the ground beside Optimus. "You got lucky this time, Prime," he sneered. "But the next time that we meet, it will be your last."

Optimus' audio receptors picked up the familiar sound of shifting armour, a small plunk that indicated Jasmine had been placed in the cockpit of a jet, and then his entire world was lit up by fire as Starscream let off an enormous outburst of heat from his plasma burners and seemed to disappear into the darkness. There was another transformation sequence and a revving engine that faded away into the distance, leaving Optimus alone in the dirt.

He wasn't alone for long because a pair of powerful engines and two sets of headlights illuminated the dark gloom. He heard the deafening cries of both Ratchet and Ironhide as they transformed and rushed in his general direction, their pounding feet drawing closer and their lit up chest plates guided them to his position.

"Optimus, can you hear me? Optimus!"

He felt his entire body getting turned onto his back and every ounce of his chassis screamed in agony, his automatic recharge systems violently crying out in protest in an attempt to shutdown in order to preserve more energy. He mentally snapped at it, telling it to kiss his tight aft as he suddenly began to twist and turn in the arms of whoever was holding him in an attempt to get back onto his feet, despite the ongoing pain that was spreading through him.

Wiggling free from the comforting hands, he tried to stand on his own two feet (though he failed miserably and sank back down to his knees with a loud thud) and raised his head to the full moon, screaming: "**Jasmine!**"

Ironhide and Ratchet looked at each other, realisation dawning upon them.

"**JASMINE!**" he screamed again in the hopes that she would hear his cries to her.

He had failed Jasmine.

He had failed Jason.

He had failed the one family he had sworn to protect until his spark pulsed its last pulse.

A pair of arms wrapped around his chassis, bringing him close to a broad chest. He turned his head, his optics glazing with tears as he leaned into the warm embrace of his dear friend Ratchet. "She's gone, Ratchet," he whimpered pathetically like a sparkling. "I failed..."

His recharge systems finally kicked in and he succumbed to cold, unwelcoming darkness.


	13. Daybreak's Revelation

**Chapter 13:  
**

**Daybreak's Revelation  
**

The familiar smell of marinated chicken poured through Jason's nostrils, his mouth watering hungrily. He hadn't cooked a decent meal like this in a long time since Optimus had decided to help cook Jasmine's meals every once in a while. But now that he was cooking again, he wondered if he would accidentally overdo it like last time. He should have paid more attention to the cooking teacher back in Tranquility High School, but he hoped he had got everything right in the cooking manual.

He turned to the radio on the kitchen bench beside him and tuned it into Jasmine's favourite radio station. The song '_Life is a Highway_' by Rascal Flatts began playing and he merrily whistled the tune, bobbing his head to the beat.

He was obviously looking forward to Jasmine and Optimus coming back from their drive. He also hoped that Jasmine may like this decent meal he had been preparing since he had got back from his long day of hard working at Tranquility Mall. But he mustn't let his thoughts wander for it seemed like the chicken was just about ready and the potatoes, mixed vegetables, and rice were already sitting on their dishes, awaiting the bits of chicken.

Scooping up the chicken off the fry pan and placing them on the dishes, he placed the fry pan in the sink so that he could wash it later after dinner was finished, and brought the dishes over to the table.

Once he had done that, he glanced over worriedly at the clock. It was only 8:00PM, though he knew that he shouldn't worry too much about the lateness of his sister and Optimus. Optimus knew how to look after Jasmine and he trusted him to look out for her. Despite the hunger that was gnawing in the pit of his stomach, he couldn't actually start until Jasmine got back.

There was a knock at the door.

Was that them already?

Puzzled, Jason headed over to the door and opened it, half-expecting it to be Jasmine and Optimus back from their trip. But he was met with disappointment when he was greeted by two older men sported in unusual uniforms. On their left shoulders were logos unlike anything he had seen before with the word 'N.E.S.T' written on the bottom. In the middle of the symbol was the familiar emblem that Jason recalled seeing on Optimus' chest plate when he had first transformed in front of him.

"Can I help you, sirs?" Jason questioned the men.

The tall, muscular, gruff-looking dark skinned man inclined his head politely, "Jason Clark?" His accent sounded richly Californian.

"Yeah... that's me," Jason replied, frowning suspiciously.

The short man with the wild-looking black hair offered a hand out to him for him to shake. "Major William Lennox, but please call me 'Will'." As Jason shook his hand, he motioned to the dark skinned man beside him. "This is Robert Raymond Epps, but he prefers Epps."

As Jason shook Epps' hand, his suspicious frown only grew even stronger. "What brings you guys here to my house?" he questioned uncertainly. "And how do you know my name?"

Will and Epps glanced at each other for a brief moment, then turned back to Jason, their faces giving no hint of emotion. "We are from N.E.S.T – Non-biological Extraterrestrial Species Treaty. We have come here to take you to Diego Garcia for protection."

Jason lifted an eyebrow, simply asking, "Why?"

When they didn't immediately reply to his question, anger began to eat away at his heart. This obviously had something to do with why Jasmine and Optimus hadn't returned home yet, and these guys may possibly know the answer to the question he had been desperately asking the past few hours: where were they?

Epps grunted something impatiently, but Will didn't seem affected by the question. Instead, he motioned to the black GMC Topkick C4500 that was sitting in the middle of the driveway. Jason wondered how he didn't even notice it sitting there at all! "You'll find out soon enough when we get there."

The young man didn't need to be told twice and he quickly complied without further questioning.

* * *

Optimus was aware of the darkness that surrounded his consciousness, yet he couldn't seem to wake up from his recharge. Something told him that he was in sedated recharge for the benefit of the pain. While he couldn't exactly pinpoint his whereabouts, all he knew was that he was lying on a berth and was hooked up to some kind of machine that beeped along with his pulsing spark. As he became more and more aware of himself – despite being in this forced darkness – he slowly began to feel an overwhelming sense of pain that overcame his entire chassis.

But what distracted him from the sensation was his growing guilt for the loss of Jasmine – his precious human. What could he say to Jason? That he had failed to protect his paralysed sister? That he wasn't worthy enough to even look after the one thing he had sworn to look after until her spirit healed? Just what kind of a mech did that make him to his Autobots? All he knew was that he had failed and that Jasmine was in the clutches of the enemy he had no idea where to find.

Eventually, the pain took over his self-blame and his sedation wore off completely, allowing his optical sensors to switch back online. He was greeted by a heavily panting Midnight, who looked deeply into his pain filled azure gaze worriedly.

"Midnight..." he whispered when he saw the little canine alive and well. He had been worried that the puppy had been crushed in the wake of the fight between himself and Starscream. But seeing that she was unharmed made him feel less guilty and more relieved.

The little puppy barked happily, her tail wagging furiously when she saw that he was awake. She licked him on the nasal plate, warming his internal structure.

"I thought you had been hurt or worse..." he sighed tiredly in an attempt to sit up a little bit, but a strong hand forced him back down, much to his annoyance. He growled in response to the hand's touch and he glanced over to see a stern looking Ratchet looking down upon him. "Ratchet?"

A comforting smile formed on the medic's metallic lips. "Who else would it be?" he joked lightly. When Optimus didn't emote in response, he frowned. "How are you feeling, Optimus? Do you remember anything that happened before your automatic recharge systems kicked in?"

"My chassis hurts all over," Optimus replied casually.

Ratchet nodded knowingly. "I'll get you something for the pain." He then disappeared out of Optimus' line of vision for a brief moment before he returned with a syringe. He gently takes his right arm and pressed a small button that caused the armour on his arm to shift aside to expose his protoform skin and a barely noticeable port. He carefully inserted the tip of the syringe into the port, earning a hiss of discomfort from Optimus' vocal processor and a low growl from Midnight. He then inserted the blue glowing liquid in the needle's tube and the pain slowly ebbed away within the mech's chassis.

Once done, he removed the syringe and the armour shifted back into place upon Optimus' mental command.

Optimus sighed in relief as the painkiller slowly took over his systems, but not before he explained to Ratchet what he remembered before the cold darkness overtook his vision. He didn't leave any of the details out as he described everything he could recall. The more he explained, the more the guilt of being unable to save Jasmine crept into his processor and his doubt began to emerge. Even though the painkiller took away his physical pain, it didn't stop the mental trauma he had endured.

When he had finished, tears leaked from his optics and he bowed his head, unable to look at Ratchet anymore.

"I'm so sorry, Optimus," Ratchet whispered in an attempt to reassure his leader and friend. "I wish we had gotten there sooner in time to prevent Starscream from taking Jasmine away."

Optimus looked back up at his old friend, his sorrow forgotten for the moment. Was Ratchet blaming himself now too? He sat up slowly (with Midnight sliding into his waiting hands) and shook his head dismissively, gently rested a comforting hand on his friend's arm. "You have nothing to apologise for, Ratchet. All I wish to do is to find Jasmine and bring her back home where she rightfully belongs."

He winced when Ratchet carefully poked and prodded the metal welding to ensure that it wasn't leaking any precious energon. He then turned back to the life support generator and disconnected him from it. "There are just some things we cannot always accomplish," Ratchet muttered low enough for Optimus to hear. "Sometimes it is unavoidable, sometimes it isn't."

A buzz on an open com-link interrupted them. _"Ironhide to Ratchet, do you two read me?"_

Ratchet blinked and replied with direct calmness, "Ratchet here, Ironhide. What is it?"

"_Just thought I would let you know that I, William Lennox and Robert Epps have returned with Jason Clark as requested by the government. The boy won't settle down and is constantly asking question after question on the whereabouts of his sister and what has happened with Optimus."_

Optimus' azure optics shifted over to Ratchet, who shook his head to indicate he wasn't fully well enough to stand up on his own. The CMO then told Ironhide, "Have Will and Epps escort Jason to the medical bay. Optimus will be waiting to meet them."

A sigh of relief echoed from the com-link. _"I'm glad Optimus is well again, Ratchet. In the meantime, I'll guide Will and Epps with Jason as directed. Ironhide out."_

Nodding with satisfaction, Ratchet returned to Optimus. "How are you going to explain to Jason about his sister's kidnapping?"

Optimus shrugged his broad shoulders and quietly replied, "I'll think of something as it will be a while before the humans and Ironhide arrive."

Ratchet shook his head. "You'd better think of something quickly because no doubt Jason will not be happy with you." Without waiting for an answer, he then turned on his heel and headed into his office on the other side of the room to file in a report into his computer.

And once more, Optimus was left alone with his thoughts. He bowed his head again and returned to his lying down position. Midnight whimpered questioningly and crawled upon his faceplates, looking deeply into his optics before she opened her jaws in a wide yawn and rested her head upon her paws. Optimus lifted a hand and stroked the puppy's fur with an index finger in an attempt to provide himself and her comfort.

Together they quietly mourned for the loss of their dear friend.

* * *

Jasmine's eyes opened with a start when a heavy thud violently awakened her. She was greeted by cold, lonely darkness. It was a darkness that she did not belong in, and it was a place that sent fear pumping through her frail body. Something told her that she wasn't with Optimus anymore because of the area she was in was cool and very cramped. She wondered how long she had been unconscious for, but she couldn't find the answer she was looking for without bursting a blood vessel in her brain. As far as she could tell, she was in the arms of someone she wasn't familiar with. She closed her eyes in an attempt to be rid of the darkness, but when she opened them again, she was greeted by the same thing, confirming it wasn't all a dream and that she was indeed alone in the arms of a devil.

"Great," she mumbled to herself.

She remembered that before she had lost consciousness Optimus had been fighting against that black and white robot he had named Barricade until he had him at blade's point. Then the next thing she knew, she was being lifted off the ground at a tremendous height, screaming Optimus' name and then squeezed by the clawed hands that caused her so much pain she had blacked out.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a huge ray of white light illuminated in front of her, blinding her to the world for a brief moment. Something with clawed fingers reached inside and cruelly plucked her out from her cramped cage. Despite her attempt at trying to pull back further into the cage, one of the claws scraped across her skin, drawing blood. She tried to kick the hand aside but to no affect as it was made of some sort of metallic alloy similar to that of Optimus'.

The being pulled her out roughly, seemingly ignoring her screams of protest. She felt her body roll slightly until she was lying in the palm of her captor. She felt her stomach lurch when the hand lifted her up until she was at eyelevel with the metallic figure. She shrank back in horror as those fierce, ruby eyes – which shaped so much like Optimus' aquamarine ones – pierced into her heart like venom. Unlike Optimus' beautifully soft eyes that were kind, wise and understanding, these ones were filled with so much hate, malice, and disgust.

It made her cringe in fear to be under the gaze of something so terrible.

The robot's bug-like cheek guards pulled into a cruel smirk when he saw her fear, and Jasmine knew that she was in a heap of trouble. Her fear was soon forgotten he took a step forward, causing her to tumble onto her back.

She turned her head to see where he was taking her and she realised they were heading into a massive warehouse in the middle of an open country, though it seemed to be isolated from the rest of the world. In the far off distance behind the warehouse and the being, she could see distant mountains that told her they were in some kind of valley. Wherever they were... it was certainly somewhere not even close to Tranquility.

Her eyes shifted when she spotted Barricade walking alongside her captor. He glanced over at her for a brief moment, his ruby optics meeting her frightened gaze. He snorted air and then returned his focus back onto the warehouse they were entering.

"This warehouse, Barricade," explained the tall robot, "was once the preparation base of operations for the US army that fought during the Second Matabele War. It soon became lost and forgotten over the years once the war had been won. It's such a shame that humans have such short memories and lives. If they had remembered this place, then they would have found us and kept it."

"Why come here though, Starscream?" Barricade asked, identifying Jasmine's captor.

"Because thanks to the humans who had forgotten it over the years, we Decepticons now use it as our base of operations for the time being until we find a proper place to put the _Nemesis_ without getting the Autobots' attention. It will offer us sanctuary until we come up with a plan to destroy Optimus Prime and his pathetic Autobots."

"But you don't know whether Optimus is alive or dead, do you?" Barricade chuckled darkly.

Starscream whirled upon Barricade and backhanded him, earning a yelp of pain from his mouth. "I know for certain that Optimus will not be fighting for a good long while!" he snapped angrily. "I inflicted serious injuries upon his chassis that was enough to keep him out of commission that will give us precious time for us to go through with this plan I have in mind for this human."

Barricade nodded, rubbing the spot where Starscream had hit him and they continued their trek further into the warehouse.

If Jasmine had been paying any attention, she would have noticed that they were turning down two corners, heading down a single corridor and into a massive room that was big enough to fit at least fifteen robots the size of her holder.

In the room was a massive monitor with the face of another robot with cold, emotionless optics and with a background filled with stars and blackness that showed he was somewhere in space, watching the very planet the Transformers walked upon.

In front of the monitor were eight other robots that didn't have armour that indicated they had earthen vehicle modes. Though they sported strange, jagged armour that was decorated with inscribes and nasty looking scars to show they had fought countless battles in the past. They were chatting in an alien language that sounded very electronic and hard to make out what was being said until the arrival of Starscream and Barricade caused them to turn their heads.

"What took you so long, Lord Starscream?" a mech with a strange crest upon his forehead questioned. His brow formed into a disgusted frown when he saw Jasmine in Starscream's hand. "Is that a human in the palm of your servo? What brought on this stupid idea of yours anyway?"

"Be silent, Grindor!" Starscream hissed, his voice pitching a little. "I have a plan that will surely destroy Optimus Prime and his Autobots once and for all without having to lift a Primus-forsaken digit."

"I do not mean to question your all seen wisdom, Lord Starscream," a squatting mech with broad, curved panels on his shoulders and forearms spoke up, causing everyone to turn their heads. He shifted uncomfortably before he continued, "What does a human have to do with this plan of yours? This human is completely useless considering how delicate and squishy they are."

"_Because,"_ said the robot on the monitor replied in a throaty monotone, _"Jasmine Clark is the human charge of Optimus Prime. He would not even attempt to stage a rescue for her unless he wanted harm to come to her in the end."_

"Correct, Soundwave," Starscream smirked. "And that is not all I have in mind. Soundwave, send out Ravage to look for _it_. In the meanwhile, I will keep the human under a lock and key to ensure that she doesn't escape the warehouse and find her way back to the Autobots. Everyone else, scan the database for a suitable vehicle mode and meet me back here within an Earth hour."

"Yes, Lord Starscream," the eight mechs responded, slapping their chest plates with a fist in confirmation that they understood his order.

With his orders carried out, Starscream headed towards a large set of human-sized jail cells. He gets down on one knee and roughly drops Jasmine into one of them. She landed on her paralysed side, earning a painful whimper from her mouth. She watches from the corner of her eyes as he closed the barred door with a loud clang that rattled her ears.

He stood back to his full height and turned to one of the mechs. "Mixmaster," he called coldly, "when you have selected your vehicle mode stand guard and watch the human until I have fully devised the plan to bring the human 'around'."

Mixmaster nod in response and quickly headed over to the monitor to pick out his vehicle form. Once he had scanned his chosen form – a black and silver Mack Vision cement mixer – he returned to the jail cell and stood on the right side of it.

Once Starscream had gone, Jasmine glanced around the cell, tears falling down her cheeks. She saw nothing but an old cot in the right corner, a basin in the left, and only one window at the back end of it that was almost too high for her to see through it. It barely let in enough light to keep her warm.

She slowly crawled over to the cot and curled up on it, sobbing herself to sleep. She mentally prayed to God that Optimus was alright and that he would come for her soon. However, doubt crept into the back of her mind as she remembered how Starscream boasted about the fact he had injured so badly that he may never be fully functional again.

All she could do for the time being was cry pathetically until darkness once again enveloped her vision.

* * *

"This is it," Will exclaimed, looking over his shoulder at Jason who stood between him and Epps. Behind them, the towering Ironhide waited patiently for them to proceed. They stood just outside the medical bay where all the answers for Jasmine's mysterious disappearance lay. "You'll get your answers in there. Ironhide will take you in."

Jason stared at Will with annoyed eyes. Over the past several hours since he had left his home for his own 'protection', he had been asking the same questions over and over again, much to Epps' impatience. But Will had calmly and very patiently answered that his questions would soon be answered the moment they reached Diego Garcia.

During the trip in the massive C-17, he had been in conversation with Ironhide – the GMC Topkick – whom he hadn't expected to be an Autobot like Optimus until he had spoken from out of the blue. They talked about what Ironhide did and what his specialty was, and in return, Jason talked about his family history. However, he felt more and more concerned, but his mind was beginning to understand the reason for the confidentiality. Something had happened involving Jasmine's disappearance and he was determined to find out what it was. All he had to do was wait until they had arrived at their destination.

Now that they had arrived at the base, it was time for Jason to get the answers he had been looking for over the past fifteen hours. "Thanks, Will," he sighed tiredly. "I'm sorry I've been acting like this. I just want to know where my sister is."

"Don't worry about it, kid," Will smiled, patting him on the shoulder comfortingly. "We all have our moments. Once you're done in there, Ironhide can drop you off at the cafeteria and you can get something to eat from there."

Jason nodded his thanks as Will and Epps departed, leaving him alone with the scarred Autobot. Ironhide carefully scooped him up in his massive hands and limped into the medical bay. He took him into what looked like a private room that was completely isolated from the main area where all the other med berths lay in a row.

The door was wide open and Ironhide entered it.

Jason's jaw literally hit the floor when he saw Optimus Prime lying on the medical berth in the middle of the room with a Labrador puppy sitting on his chest. The Autobot leader looked absolutely terrible with a recently repaired shoulder and metal welding on his right side. But worst of all, Optimus' normally proud looking armour was trembling as though something was really bothering him.

When Optimus saw Ironhide and Jason, his armour stopped its quivering and he instantly retained a neutral expression on his faceplates, hiding whatever thoughts that had been lingering in his processor.

Ironhide came forward and placed Jason in his open palm.

"Thank you, old friend," he sighed, his optics never taking their gaze off the boy. "Dismissed."

Nodding, Ironhide turned and left, leaving Jason and Optimus alone. The Labrador puppy crawled towards Jason, sniffing him curiously for a moment and then putting her head underneath his hand for a pat. He couldn't resist patting her and he did as she requested, earning a little bark from her.

"That is Midnight," Optimus' deep baritone voice spoke up, interrupting the little bonding moment. "She is my gift to Jasmine."

Jason glanced up and stared him in the eye. "Look, Optimus, I'm here to find out what is going on. No one would answer my questions and kept on telling me that I will get them soon enough. Don't beat around the bush and tell me where my sister is. Why was I brought here, and how the hell did you get injured in the first place? I thought you were supposed to be her guardian."

Optimus vented slowly from his intakes, the cool air gently blowing Jason's hair from his eyes. "The reason why they haven't told you anything, my friend, is because the N.E.S.T operation is a secret government agency that has allied humans with us Autobots in order to hunt down any remaining Decepticons that threaten Earth around the globe."

Jason nodded, showing he was listening.

"To answer your the first part of your second question," continued Optimus, "you were brought here to Diego Garcia for your own protection until we can find out where Jasmine is."

The boy's eyes widened in horror and he stared furiously at him. "Tell me everything. Now."

Optimus sighed again, "Take a seat, Jason, because it will be a long story."

Jason chewed his bottom lip before he did what he was told in a reluctant manner, accusation was seen clearly in his eyes and the last bit trust in the Autobot leader slowly began to evaporate from his mind.


	14. Hold On Before It's Too Late

**This story was long overdue for an update, and I did promise that it would eventually come around when I got my muse back into working order. And since I've pushed _Inherit_ toward the back of my mind for a little while, I'm going to update _One Star Dies, Another Is Born_ as soon as I can. Right now, I think I'm just happy how this turned out.**

**Here are some things you should know in this story for future references:**

**"Blah, blah, blah,"** = the Cybertronians talking in their native language - Cybertronix

_"Blah, blah, blah,"_ = com-link chatter

_Blah, blah, blah,_ = thoughts

**Hope that helps. Now, onto the chapter! I hope you enjoy it! Next one will be coming after _One Star Dies, Another Is Born_ is updated.**

* * *

**Chapter 14:**

**Hold On Before It's Too Late**

As Optimus explained to Jason what had happened to Jasmine, his scanners never strayed from the young man's body for any signs of reaction. Despite Jason's emotionless facial expression, Optimus could see everything that was going on internally. He wasn't surprised to learn that along with the temperature rising, his heart was pounding faster than it normally was, beads of sweat were slowly dripping down the sides of his neck, and his breathing was becoming rapid. Jason thought he could hide his emotions from Optimus, but the body reacted accordingly and never lied.

When Optimus had finished his story, Jason fell flat in his palm with a slight 'plunk'. The boy bowed his head, burying his face into his hands. Optimus could faintly hear the quiet sobs as he struggled not to cry, but was failing miserably. The Autobot commander could do nothing except wait patiently for Jason to regather his thoughts.

For a while, Jason cried as Optimus waited. What was there to say when you had just learned that your only family member had been kidnapped by the enemy of an alien species that was your guardian? Optimus felt his spark quench in grief for the human, but he had years of experience to be able to hold back his own emotions. It came with the territory of being a leader of a faction.

Jason took a deep breath and lifted his head, wiping the rest of his tears away from his face. He looked deeply into the optics of Optimus Prime, a burning question forming on his lips. "How long before we'll be able to find Jasmine?"

Optimus tilted his head to one side, his processor considering his answer carefully. He emits a deep intake of air as an equivalent to a human sigh and answers honestly, "I don't know, Jason." Then his tone shifted from quiet to firm. "But I do know one thing: we _will_ get Jasmine back. I promise you that."

While he had been talking, Midnight had crawled forward and was nudging Jason's hand and licking it with her soft tongue. Jason reached forward and gently stroked the puppy's soft, black fur. She crept onto his lap and curled up, soft snores escaping her black lips.

Jason bowed his head slightly at Optimus' words. They felt like an empty promise.

Seeing his sullen mood, Optimus raises an arm and carefully brings him and Midnight closer to his chest in a fatherly embrace. He felt Jason cringe in surprise, but he didn't pull away from the unusual gesture.

For a few minutes, one said a word as they enjoyed the comfortable silence between each other, each individual with their own thoughts. Finally, Optimus removed his hands from Jason's back and took another deep exhale. He was about to say more when Ratchet came walking into the room, much to his surprise.

Optimus' optics shifted from Jason to Ratchet as he came to his side. He allowed a deep growl to vibrate through his chassis when his CMO ever so 'gently' prodded the metal welding on his side where his injury was. Ratchet continued to poke around for a while until he shook his head with annoyance and muttered something inaudible that Jason couldn't pick up, but Optimus certainly did.

"**How long before I am back on my feet again, Ratchet?"** Optimus clicked to Ratchet in their native language – Cybertronix. He was determined to be back on his feet just so that he could carry out his promise and reunite Jasmine with her brother.

"**It will take twenty-four hours before the welding on your side is officially removed,"** Ratchet answered solemnly, shaking his head. He sounded like he knew how much his stubborn friend was eager to get back on his feet and find Jasmine in time before it was too late. But thanks to this injury, it would be a little while before he was fit enough to take on Starscream again.

Jason listened to their communication despite not being able to understand what was being said. To him, they sounded like electronic clicks, warbles, whirrs, and whistles. He was amazed at how different they sounded compared to Earth's native languages.

Optimus growled when Ratchet gave him his answer and his cyan optics shifted towards Jason, causing him to look up at him. He asked in a concerned manner, "How are you feeling?"

The young man shrugged his shoulders. "I'll be fine, Optimus," he lied. "Thanks for asking."

Ratchet didn't look convinced thanks to his acute sensors detecting the amount of stress that was going on inside the human's body. "I understand your reason to lie about your condition, Jason Clark," he told him gently, "but being upset about losing your sister to the Decepticons won't make things better."

Jason shot Ratchet a glare, but he said nothing in response his smart comeback.

Optimus tilted his head to one side again. "What do you wish to do while you are here with us?" he asked gently.

Jason shrugged. "I just want a place to rest," he answered honestly, knowing that he couldn't lie again

Ratchet gave a thoughtful look, resting a hand upon his chin as he considered what they should do. "You can stay in a set of human quarters not too far away from the med-bay, but I will have to transfer you into the care of Major William Lennox and Chief Master Sergeant Robert Raymond Epps."

Jason shifted about uncomfortably. He wasn't sure if those two actually liked him for the way how he acted toward them and Ironhide in regards to the whereabouts of his sister. A part of him hoped that they had forgiven him for his stupid behaviour, but another part of him didn't want to see them again. They probably shouldn't even be looking after kids while they're busy looking for Decepticons across the globe.

He sighed in defeat and nodded in agreement. "Fine," he said.

Ratchet offered a hand out to him to climb up on, but not before he tried to take Midnight. However, the little puppy refused to be taken, preferring to remain in the company of Optimus. She licked Jason on the nose in farewell and placed herself on Optimus' shoulder, watching him with bright, brown eyes. Shrugging, Jason climbed onto Ratchet's hand.

Ratchet stood up to his full height and began to make his way towards the exit, but not before he stopped and shot a death glare at Optimus. "Do not even think about leaving this room, Optimus," he growled in warning, tossing a wrench he had pulled from out of his subspace up and down in his hand. "If I find out you've left, then I will strap you down and knock you out with this wrench. Got me?"

Optimus merely rolled his optics and nodded slightly.

Satisfied, Ratchet departed with his passenger.

Major William Lennox chewed on his lip in a casual manner before downing a can of soda. He had been sitting at a table in the cafeteria ever since Ratchet had called them to let them know that they were bringing in Jason to get him something to eat. He had at first been a bit surprised when Ratchet had told him the news, but it had eventually worn off to the point where his fatherly instincts kicked in. Just like any father, he was worried about the wellbeing Jason and his sister. He understood what it was like to have a family member so far away from you. He even understood the amount of feelings the kid must be going through: worry, fear, confusion, uncertainty. There were a number of other feelings in the mix there, but Lennox couldn't possibly name them all.

On the opposite side of the table, Epps was leaning back in his chair as he took a bite of what appeared to be a tomato, lettuce and cheese sandwich. Unlike Lennox, Epps was a battle-hardened man, never one to express his emotions. The times of fighting had made him a bit rough around the edges, but he still cracked a joke every once in a while. But like Lennox, he too had a family, but he never talked much about it.

"We're obviously looking after the kid for a while," Epps groaned to his friend, earning a chortle from Lennox.

"Yeah," Lennox replied, "and I don't mind one little bit. The kid and his sister have been through a lot. I actually understand what he's going through."

Epps cocked an eyebrow. "Do you?" he smirked. "Has any of your family been kidnapped by Decepticons?"

Lennox shook his head, taking another sip from his soda. "No, but being separated from your family is one thing we have in common. The kid doesn't even have any parents. He and his sister live alone unfortunately."

"You dug around in their files?"

"Kind of," Lennox replied with a shrug.

Their talking was interrupted by the sound of heavy footfalls making their way towards the cafeteria. Epps and Lennox glanced up, their food and conversation forgotten for a moment as they glanced at one another and got up from the table, making their way toward the exit.

After what seemed like minutes, Ratchet arrived to drop off his passenger at the door. He kneeled down and placed Jason on the ground. Jason hopped off the hand and waved his thanks to the Autobot medic before heading into the cafeteria and bumping into Lennox and Epps. He bowed his head, avoiding eye contact with the two men.

"Hey kid," Lennox smiled gently. "We're... sorry that we had to take you away from your home. But it was for your own protection."

Jason's sullen expression eventually turned into a weak smile. "Thanks, but you don't have to apologise," he said. "I just want my sister back and go home. We don't belong in this fight of yours."

"No, kid, you don't," Epps spoke up. "That's why once this whole thing is sorted out, you are going straight back home where you belong. No more getting involved in our secret conflict with the Decepticons."

Jason nodded and raised an eye. "Aren't you guys going to take me to my quarters?"

"We will," Lennox answered, "but only after you've got something into your stomach. We did tear you away from your food when we came to take you after all."

"I suppose," Jason mumbled tiredly, knowing that he couldn't quite complain. "But I thought I should let you know that I'm sorry for the way how I acted toward you two and Ironhide."

"Don't worry about it, Jason," Lennox smiled kindly. "We understand your reason for your behaviour. I'm sure even Ironhide understands as well."

Satisfied with those words, Jason made his selection for food; the three returned to the table and then began to eat in silence. As he ate, Jason's jaw clenched in discomfort, but his stomach growled in satisfaction as it was stuffed with the food it had missed during the night. Oh how it felt wonderful to be able to eat a meal without him cooking it up himself. He still felt uneasy about being in this strange place where humans and robots alike worked side by side of each other. However, he knew that he had absolutely nothing to fear since Optimus was one of them and that these ones would do him no harm. What was even the point in being afraid of these ones?

He finished off his meal by downing a Coke and thus fullness settled in. He felt a bit better, but he was still bitter about what Optimus had told him. However, there was no point in dwelling in the past right now. He rubbed his eyes tiredly and he checked his watch. It was merely 12:30PM and he was amazed at how much time had passed since he had arrived at the base. According to what he remembered, he had left late last night and had arrived here at the base toward the afternoon. He obviously hadn't slept and he was beyond exhausted.

But, before he voiced about needing to get some sleep, he asked Lennox in a nervous manner, "How long before we find Jasmine?"

Epps paused in his eating and Lennox cleared his throat as he leaned forward. He stared into Jason's eyes, his face became stone hard. "It would take us a few days to locate a Decepticon signal. However, if the Decepticons were dumb enough, they would be too overconfident in hiding their energy signatures if they were hiding on Earth somewhere. But with Cybertronian technology behind us, we should be able to find Jasmine very soon."

Jason frowned. "It shouldn't take you guys that long to find her if you worked a little faster," he scoffed impatiently.

Epps scowled at Jason's poor choice of words and prepared to open his mouth to say something nasty when Lennox raised an arm in front of his face to cut him off. "I understand your urgency to rescue your sister, Jason," he said softly, "but all I ask from you is have some patience. If you know Jasmine well enough, she will hold on until we arrive to get her."

Jason tried to say something, but his voice died on him and he let off a yawn.

Lennox smirked and pushed himself away from the table and stood up. "Come on, you're obviously tired. We'll take you to the human quarters."

"Thanks," Jason sighed as Epps and Lennox led him out of the cafeteria and down the hallway in the opposite direction of the med-bay.

They stopped at what appeared to be a set of human-sized doors and walked inside. On the inside were two other sets of doors that stood facing each other. The left set of doors was the men's rooms and the right was for the women's. Toward the end of the small hallway were two sets of bathrooms, also for the two genders.

"Just go in the men's room through that door," Lennox pointed out. "Pick out any room you want."

Jason nodded his appreciation and headed through the door and found another hallway with at least fifteen doors leading down it. Each of them had two sets of bunk beds in them, but they all seemed taken. The last one at the end of the corridor seemed empty and Jason entered it and flopped onto the left bottom bunk bed. And before he even knew it, he was soon out like a light.

Epps and Lennox left the kid alone to sleep it off as they headed away from the room. It was best to let Jason sleep since he had quite a day.

"What are we going to do with him?" Epps asked, keeping his voice soft so that only Lennox could hear him.

"I have no idea," Lennox replied. "But all Jason can do is wait until the Decepticons show up on the radar. Hopefully one of them may slip up and lead us straight to their hideout."

Epps nodded. "I hope you're right, Will," he sighed. "I'd hate to be Big Buddha if we don't find his sister in time, because man, oh man, he is going to get his ass kicked."

* * *

**Three Hours Later  
Decepticon Base, Three Rivers**

Jasmine stirred, sitting up from her dirty cot. She was beyond tired and slowly getting hungry since she had missed all three meals, including last night's dinner. A cold breeze found its way through the cell, making her shiver. Less than an hour ago, she had suffered from a seizure and not one of the Decepticons had come forward to help her. Even Mixmaster didn't even react as she trembled violently the floor until it had passed. The blood on the floor from her spasms after she had bitten her tongue was all that remained from the aftermath of attack.

She recalled Starscream coming in to check in on her a while ago, but then had departed shortly after to some other part of the base. All of the Decepticons had reverted to speaking in their native language in order to prevent her from understanding what they were saying. This frustrated Jasmine to the point on kicking a nearby wall in her cell in anger, but she had only ended up hurting herself. Pissed off, she had retreated to her cot and had spent the last half hour trying to figure out how to escape. So far, nothing had come through and it was beginning to annoy her.

Her reason for her stirring came when she had heard light clicking on the cold hard floor. She turned her head and her eyes rested upon a silvery black creature prowling near her cell. The creature had a single red eye in the middle of its strange head, its massive maw filled with razor-sharp teeth unlike anything she had seen before. Triangle shaped ears twitched at the simplest of noises and its catlike body gleamed silver in the afternoon light through the window of her cell.

The creature paused in front of her cell, eyeing her curiously.

Jasmine noticed it was carrying something in its jaws, a greyish brown sliver covered in black swirls and lines unlike anything she had seen before. However, the markings stirred her memory when she recalled Optimus having similar tattoos on his face and the sides of his head.

The creature stared at her a little while longer, their gaze being held far longer than Jasmine liked. She could see a fierce coldness in them and she felt fear crawling down her spine, making the hairs on her arms stand up on end.

"Ravage!"

The metallic cat's ears twitched in the direction of the voice calling its name and it darted over toward the owner. It stopped at the feet of Starscream, who opened up his palm, one finger inclining him to hand over the object in its jaws. It did so without hesitation, placing the object in the middle of his palm before it scooted off back into the shadows where it had come from without a backward glance over its shoulder.

Starscream didn't seem to be paying much attention to Ravage's disappearance. Rather he seemed occupied by the strange sliver of metal in his fingertips. He stood up to his full height and inspected it with a large red eye. It pulsed with a strange electrical aura that webbed all the way around it before stopping at its left end. Starscream made a clicking noise, and it sounded to Jasmine like it was in satisfaction. His eyes dart over in her direction and she scowled back, hoping to at least intimidate him with her expression.

He smirked at her pathetic attempt to scare him, and he responded by hissing threateningly at her. She scooted back in terror, away from his line of sight. She knew it was fruitless to try and hide from him; he would find her and make her fear him even more. He laughed manically at her weakness and shook his head before making his way over to the computer console.

He pressed a single button and announced in pure English, "All Decepticons, report to command centre at once. We have what we need."

Less than seven minutes later, all eight Decepticons were present and accounted for, though Mixmaster remained where he was near Jasmine's cell. Six of them no longer had the same jagged armour as they did before, although Jasmine only recognised Barricade through his black and white armour, along with Grindor from his unusual crest and his massively broad chest. Mixmaster had already selected his dark grey and white vehicle form shortly before he had been assigned to be Jasmine's cell guard.

"What do you want, Starscream?" grumbled Grindor, folding his arms across his chest and frowning in an annoyed manner.

Starscream didn't say anything for a moment as he typed in another command and the monitor brought up the image of Soundwave. Once done, he turned back to the rest of the Decepticons. "The fragment that you see in my hand," he began with a growl, "is what will be used to bring back the Allspark."

"How could a human bring back the Allspark?" a small, silver mech with jagged blades on his hands questioned. "It was destroyed when that Witwicky boy shoved the Cube into Megatron's spark chamber. You saw it yourself."

"_She is all part of the project, Sideways," _Soundwave replied in his deep, emotionless raspy voice. _"While the Allspark was destroyed in Mission City, fragments of it were scattered around the world during the insertion. Since this is all we were able to find amongst the cleanup in the city, the human female will provide an excellent home for what we have in mind."_

Starscream nodded and clicked something to Sideways, whose eyes then widened in complete surprise. Everyone else's expressions changed from surprised as well to excited chatter. Jasmine couldn't understand what was being said, but she had a feeling that it sounded good to them, but bad for her.

Finally, Starscream called for silence by banging a clawed foot on the ground. The chatting died down as Starscream shifted his cold red gaze over to Jasmine. "We will begin Project Recreation in three days time," he announced. "Barricade and Grindor, you will scout out the perimeter for any signs of Autobot activity. We are going to weaken the human's... delicate mind by dehydration, starvation and darkness."

He turned to address Mixmaster. "Cover her up."

Mixmaster simply nodded and headed out of Jasmine's line of sight. He came back a second later with a massive leather sheet. He then tossed it over her cell and she was left in the cold, lonely darkness.

* * *

**Three Days Later  
Simpson Point, Diego Garcia**

The three days had passed by slowly for Jason without much of an incident happening. Jason had struggled to keep himself together in the hopes that a clue would come up regarding his sister's whereabouts. The only thing that had happened was the arrival of four new Autobots – Sideswipe, Arcee, Chromia, and Flareup, or the Bike Sisters as they were nicknamed by their human allies. They had already been given the heads-up to get them settled into the routine of working with their newfound allies. Sideswipe proved to be the stubborn one of the group, preferring to work solo rather than with anyone else.

Jason was still holding onto the hope that the soldiers would be able to pick up any Decepticon activity, but nothing had come up so far. But the longer it took, the more worried he became. He spent so much time alone that when Optimus had recovered from his ordeal with Starscream and Barricade he could not seem to get close enough to the elder twin.

The young man had escaped the care of Epps and Lennox just so that he could be alone with his thoughts. He sighed deeply in frustration and picked up a rock next to him. He bounced it in his palm for a bit before he tossed it into the ocean in front of him. It fell into the water with a slight 'splosh' and slowly drifted to the bottom.

He had been so focused on the rock that he didn't hear the heavy thudding of Optimus Prime's feet until a tall shadow fell over him. He stiffened slightly at the approach, but he didn't turn around to look at his guardian.

Optimus came a little closer until he was standing right beside Jason. He kneeled down to get on even level with him, but his bright blue eyes remained fixed upon the frothing ocean that splashed against the rocks. The smell of the ocean breeze was strong in their nostrils.

Then, Optimus turned his head downwards, his eye lens twisting and turning along with his emotions. "Jason, what is troubling you?" he asked gently.

Without warning, Jason leapt to his feet and whirled upon Optimus. "Why didn't you try to save Jasmine, Optimus?!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. "Why didn't you save her when you had the chance?!"

If Optimus was surprised by the outburst, he didn't show it. Instead, he answered quietly, "I couldn't save her, Jason, because Starscream threatened to squeeze her to death if I didn't let Barricade go. I was a mech of my word, but Starscream wasn't. He eventually escaped with your sister and I was forced to succumb to my injuries." He closed his shutters for a moment, taking a deep intake of air before continuing, "The only thing I can do right now is apologise to you for not upholding my promise to protect you and your sister. All I ask from you is to believe in my new promise to get your sister back."

For a long moment, Jason doesn't say a word. He listened to Optimus' heartfelt, not even daring to interrupt him until he had finished what had needed to be said. Optimus sounded so determined to make up for what had happened to Jasmine. He even sounded like he meant every word that he had spoken. Jason soon knew that he couldn't be angry at him anymore, not when he said it himself that he would do everything in his power to get Jasmine back.

He sagged a bit, though a faint smile crossed his lips. His posture eventually changed as he took a step forward and held a hand out to Optimus. The Autobot commander seemed puzzled by the gesture, but a quick search through the World Wide Web told him exactly what he needed to do. He reached outwards, index finger extended. Jason clasped it in his tiny hand and they shake on it.

"Thank you, Optimus," Jason smiled.

"You're welcome, Jason," Optimus chuckled with a slight curve of his lips.

Jason was about to speak further when barking was heard from behind Optimus. They glanced inland and saw a small black canine making her way down the sandy hill toward them. Tail wagging furiously, ears perked in an alert manner, and tongue hanging loosely from the left side of her jaw.

"Midnight, what are you doing here?" Optimus queried, lifting an optic ridge in surprise at the little creature's appearance. She leapt onto Jason legs, knocking him to ground as he fell flat on his backside. She placed both paws on his chest and licked his face happily.

Optimus let off a deep, rumbling laugh that vibrated through his body and into the sand, causing the particles to scatter.

"Midnight!"

All three turn their heads and they manage to spot the silhouettes of Lennox and Epps in the distance, followed by the broad figure that was Ironhide and the thin, lithe form of Sideswipe.

Lennox grinned when he spotted Optimus, Jason and Midnight as he and Epps came running toward them. However, Ironhide and Sideswipe remained where they were, refusing to come onto the sand.

Optimus frowned suspiciously at this, but he said nothing about it. He returned his gaze to Lennox and Epps. "Major William Lennox, Chief Master Sergeant Robert Raymond Epps," he greeted them. "Why were you chasing Midnight?"

"Sorry, Optimus," Lennox laughed, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Epps, Ironhide, Sideswipe and I were looking for you and Jason when Midnight just made a mad dash for Simpson Point. I wasn't sure why until she led us to you."

"Looking for me?" Optimus asked, tilting his head to one side.

"Yeah," Epps said once he caught his breath. "We thought we should let you know that... we found Miss Jasmine Clark."


	15. Battlecry to Heaven

**Omg, do you know how much of an inspiration boost my muse got? A massive one! After this chapter, it's going to be a two-parted battle that will be told in two perpsectives, but I won't say much about that. This chapter has got me tensed up and excited for the upcoming chapters. Please enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 15:**

**Battle Cries to the Heavens**

"_Optimus Prime, I understand your reason for wanting to rescue Miss Clark, but the fact is that we're going after one human being and risking the lives of my men and yours is just out of the question. If we do end up deciding to go after her, then you cannot expect us to blunder in blindly with guns blazing. What do you propose that we do?"_

Optimus stood in front of the stand where he normally reported to General Morshower about their successes in wiping out Decepticons. While he was off-screen from the General, his facial expression had changed to a slight frown; lip components set in a straight line, the corners of his optic shutters tilted downward to his nasal strut and faintly squinting. While he understood the General's need of caution, he couldn't help but feel a tint of annoyance at the fact that he was one step ahead of him, having been planning what to do in his processor as he had made his way back to the hangar.

Behind him, Ironhide, Ratchet, Sideswipe, and the Bike Sisters – Arcee, Chromia and Flareup – quietly talked amongst each other in their native language. Optimus knew that they were discussing about the General's words, but he merely ignored them. By his feet, Jason had his head bowed, hands in his jacket's pockets to keep them warm from the biting cold, and his feet shifting about nervously.

Major Lennox and Epps were behind Jason, arms folded across their chests and already in their N.E.S.T armour, their heads concealed by specially designed helmets with see-through visors and a single antenna on the right side. On their backs, they carried sabot-armed assault rifles that reminded Optimus of the Spartans from the _Halo_ video games done by Bungie that he watched Ratchet and Ironhide play during their spare time. Lennox and Epps even carried six unusual looking balls around their belts that Optimus knew were fragmentation grenades fitted with sabot-projectiles that are strong enough to penetrate Cybertronian armour, courtesy of Ratchet.

Optimus took a deep intake of oxygen before he exhaled slowly. He closed his optics for a moment until he opened them again, this time his composure was under control. "With all due respect, General Morshower," he replied softly, keeping his tone level, "but this is a matter of life and death. Jasmine Clark is my responsibility, and I promised her brother that I would bring her home safely where she rightfully belongs.

"And if the Decepticons are in Three Rivers – just like Major William Lennox said – I must be there in order to keep Starscream distracted long enough for a team to get into the base and rescue Jasmine. True that we will be outnumbered and outgunned by the enemy, but that is not the point of the attack. We are using the attack as a distraction, not an attempt to overwhelm them."

From the screen that Optimus was able to see of General Morshower, the human had a stern expression that would have rivalled Optimus' own, unsmiling and uncertain. The General leaned back in his seat, hands rubbing his face as he seemed to struggle what to do in this situation. Optimus knew deep down that he had made his point. Unlike the General, Optimus had far more experience when it came to arguments. Years of playing as both a warrior and a diplomat had rubbed off on him.

"_Very well then, Optimus,"_ the General sighed. _"You have permission to go forward with the mission."_

Optimus couldn't help but let a hint of a smile escape, relieved that it was going to happen. "Thank you, General," he nodded.

General Morshower merely shrugged. _"Just do what you do best and we're even."_ The call was then disconnected.

Satisfied at last, Optimus glanced down to Lennox and Epps, his armour trembling with grim determination. "Get a team of soldiers together, Major Lennox," he ordered without hesitation. The two humans saluted in response and made their way over to the gathered men and women nearby to pick out who was coming along with them. His cyan optics then shifted over to his team of Autobots, who had been standing at the ready, waiting for him to give the command. "Ironhide, assign a number of Autobots to board the C-17s. I will follow as soon as I am done here."

Ironhide nodded, heading over to Ratchet, Sideswipe, and the Bike Sisters, who stood at attention and were eagerly waiting to be picked out to come along for this mission.

Optimus felt a light tap on his foot that was almost too faint to be noticed. His optics shifted from the back of Ironhide to the floor where Jason stood, his eyes looking at the floor and his feet playing with the cement. Optimus kneeled down to be on eyelevel with the boy and he instantly knew what he was going to ask before he was even going to say it.

"Can I come with you, Optimus?" Jason asked nervously.

Optimus shook his head. "No, Jason, you cannot. You do not have the skills that are necessary to fight Decepticons. A civilian has no place on the battlefield, you will only get hurt."

Jason sighed, nodding reluctantly and looking up into Optimus' optics. "Alright, I just want you to do your best to get Jasmine back. Kick Starscream's butt for me, won't you?" He then punched a fist into his palm for effect.

Optimus' chest rumbled with soft laughter, amused by the gesture. "I will be sure to do that, Jason."

He stood up to his full height and began to make his way to the closest C-17 was, where Ironhide and Major Lennox were helping Sideswipe to back up into the waiting plane. Ratchet was already inside it, while the Bike Sisters were in another that Ironhide said he would be in. Sideswipe was making grumbling noises, saying how he had never had to back up into a plane just wouldn't allow him to stand up in like the dropships back on Cybertron.

Epps was busy getting the N.E.S.T troops aboard the C-17 that would be carrying Ironhide and the Bike Sisters. From what Optimus could see, there was at least twenty-four soldiers heading inside and taking their seats. While Optimus confirmed that it wouldn't be a full frontal assault, twenty-four soldiers, plus Epps and Major Lennox, was enough to keep the Decepticons on their toes until the rescue team had completed their main objective.

Optimus glanced over his shoulder one last time to Jason's way. The boy was smiling and giving him a wave. That was enough to give him enough confidence that he would bring Jasmine back alive. Whatever the Decepticons had planned for her, they would not get very far in it.

A faint smile crawled onto his lip components and he allowed his armour to shift and slide, twist and turn, as he became the familiar blue and red flamed Peterbilt 379 truck. He revved his enormous engine powerfully, causing everyone to become silent. No Autobot in the universe had the same power behind his engine like Optimus did. Exhaust escaped from his smokestacks as he slowly moved toward the C-17, angling himself until his behind was facing the hatch.

Ironhide and Lennox guided Optimus until he was securely inside. A soldier that Optimus identified as the pilot of the C-17 then strapped down his tyres to ensure that he would not move around during the flight. While he did feel uncertain about having his tyres held into place, he knew that it wasn't just for his safety, but Sideswipe's and Ratchet's safety as well in case turbulence hit and he would end up sliding into them, thus causing an accident.

The pilot, a female brunette named Marissa Faireborn – gave him a reassuring pet on the passenger's side door before she made her way to the head of the plane.

As the hatch was closed and Optimus and his group of Autobots were enclosed into darkness, the Autobot commander wondered deep in the pit of his spark if they were too late. Though another part of him felt that if they were, he would have known.

"_This is Pilot Marissa Faireborn of C-17 No.2 speaking,"_ came the calm voice of the pilot. _"The flight to Three Rivers is twenty-one hours and thirty minutes, so you'll be in for a long trip. Try to make yourselves comfortable. We apologise to the Autobots that there is no energon for them to consume, but food and drinks will be brought out to the soldiers an hour after takeoff. We hope you have a pleasant flight."_

Optimus mentally sighed in frustration. He heard Ratchet growl and Sideswipe hiss in anger. A long flight it would be, but it would give him a reason to get some recharge until it was over. _"Autobots, get some recharge,"_ he ordered them softly over the com-link. _"If we're fully rested by the time we arrive at our destination, then a good fight will warm us up and stretch our limbs."_

"_Well, I hope we don't have to be strapped down forever, Optimus,"_ Ironhide grumbled. _"You know how much I hate being cooped up in an aircraft for a long time. My cannons are itching for a little action."_

"_It's that or sit back at the base doing nothing,"_ Chromia's voice commented, earning a deep laugh from Ironhide. _"But like you, I too am eager for something to shoot at."_

"_A femme after my own spark,"_ Ironhide snickered, although Optimus could picture him smirking in his vehicle mode.

Optimus was about to answer when he felt the C-17 lurch forward slightly as it began to move onto the runway in preparation for takeoff. He was glad that he didn't have a window to look out when the plane was in the air. He didn't like being up high in the sky, not that he had a fear of heights or anything. He just preferred to keep his feet flat firmly on the ground.

"_You girls up for a game of Fullstasis?"_ Flareup asked, earning groans from Chromia and Arcee.

"_No way, Flare!"_ Arcee hissed. _"You win that game every time!"_

_It's going to be a long trip, _Optimus thought as he switched his systems to recharge mode. He set his chronometer to wake him up in approximately twenty-one hours as he shut down for the time being.

* * *

**Twenty-One Hours Later  
Decepticon Base, Three Rivers**

Jasmine felt her stomach groan in protest as she awoke from forced sleep. She curled up into a ball, trying to prevent the only noise in her cell from overwhelming her sense of hearing. Her mouth was partially dry from lack of liquid, even her saliva couldn't even satisfy her thirst. Having been starved of food, water, and sunlight, she knew that she was going to be in for one hell of a time when the Decepticons decide to come back for her. She had lost track of time, but she hardly cared anymore.

What was the point in just lying here, being forgotten by those who cared about her?

Not too long ago, she had been busting to use the bathroom and then had been forced to relieve herself in a corner as far from her cot as possible. She was disgusted with herself, but she had to go. Her stomach had slowly started to turn sour and her nose beginning to clog up with mucus. Chills had overtaken her until it was enough to make her shiver. Much to her horror, she realised she was feeling warmer than normal and it had taken her less than half an hour to figure out she was coming down with a fever.

"What else could go wrong?" she groaned weakly.

No sooner had those words left her mouth, the leather cover that had been keeping her in the dark for so long was lifted off her cell and she was exposed to fading sunlight. Crying out, she curled up into a ball in an attempt to cover up her quickly adjusting eyes. Having been cooped up in the darkness for nearly four days had made them sensitive.

A massively clawed hand suddenly smashed its way through the ceiling and her overly sensitive eyes were forgotten. The hand made a reach for her, but she attempted to roll to the side to avoid it. It ended up clutching the cot firmly in its claws before it crushed it, the cot splitting into a dozen pieces. She hobbled toward a corner as fast as she could, but the hand made another lunge for her and it wrapped its claws tightly around her waist, one of them drawing blood from a nasty cut on her right side between her ribs and hip. She squealed in agony as the blood dripped down her side and coated the hand, but it merely ignored her as she was lifted high into the air and she felt her stomach lurch, a brown-clear liquid leaving her mouth and splattering all over the floor of her cell.

The claws shifted her until she was resting in the palm of the owner's hand and they encaged her. She was forced to look into the red predatory eyes of Starscream and she wished that she hadn't. She saw nothing but malice and hate, followed by a smirk that made her shivers even worse than before.

Starscream bounced her around in his palm as he moved from the cell to another room that she had never seen before. Without warning, she was dropped carelessly from his hand to a slab of concrete. The claws then grabbed her wrists and ankles – even though one arm and leg were paralysed – holding them down tightly as Starscream leered over her with glee and hunger. She knew it was useless to try and escape, for the more she struggled, the stronger the hold on her became.

"Such a weak human," he grinned, liquid dribbling from his mouth. "I could just tear your limbs off!" The claws in his fingertips tugged on her wrists and legs to prove a point and she could not help but let off a whimper. "But first... we have some delicate work to do." His optics diverted over to a table not too far from them, littered with glasses filled with organic material and an unusual microscope. "Scalpel, your patient is here."

In response to his words, the microscope transformed into a spider-like robot with a head too big for its body and large, red eyes. The creature that Starscream identified as Scalpel skittered from the table, over to the concrete slab, muttering in an accent that Jasmine identified as German. It made its way over Jasmine's body and its head tilted left and right as it scanned her thoroughly. It was over in less than a second before it glanced up at Starscream and clicked a claw in an eager manner.

"Hand over ze shard!" it ordered without hesitation.

"I would be more than happy to," Starscream sneered as the piece of metal appeared from behind one of his claws and was handed over to Scalpel.

It clicked in satisfaction and its chest components opened up. Something silvery, long and coated in a green-yellow goo crawled from out of the storage. One of its appendages snatched the shard from its owner's claw and wormed its way over to Jasmine's face. Jasmine's eyes widened with horror as Scalpel opened her mouth up as wide as it could get her to so that it could crawl inside. The robotic worm snaked its way forward, assisted by the slim on its body.

The base suddenly trembled from an enormous impact, windows shaking and dust falling from the ceiling, thus causing the worm to pause in its entry, a questioning look in its beady red eyes.

"Sideways, Barricade!" Starscream snarled.

The two small Decepticons were at their leader's side less than half a second later.

"Go and find out what is happening out there before I rip out your spark chambers!" he threatened without hesitation.

Barricade and Sideways nodded without saluting and made their way out of the room. Starscream drew closer to Jasmine and Scalpel, his tone becoming even more dangerous than before. "Scalpel, continue the experiment," he growled.

Scalpel didn't need to be told twice and he once again inched the robotic worm to continue forward into Jasmine's mouth. Jasmine struggled uselessly, but she still tried. Starscream's grip on her wrists and ankles tightened even further to prevent her from getting away. The worm inched further closer to mouth.

"Lord, Starscream!" Sideways' gruff voice called, once again forcing Scalpel to stop moving the worm from entering her mouth. "Two C-17s have arrived!"

Starscream let off an angered snarl, more liquid dripping from the corners of his mouth. "Mixmaster, take the human back into her cell! All Decepticons, head outside in preparation for an attack!" He glanced to one side and Jasmine could make out the faint shadowed outline of a robotic feline. "Ravage, take Scalpel away to safety. I cannot afford to have him or you damaged in the fire fight."

A low growl comes from Ravage as he places both paws on the slab of concrete, his chest components opening. Scalpel shoots one last glare at Jasmine and scuttles into the safe storage chamber of the catlike Cybertronian. But in his rush to get into the feline, Jasmine made out him accidentally dropped something onto the floor. But her attention was diverted as Ravage's single red optic stared at her for a moment longer before he made a dash for the shadows, leaving Jasmine alone with Starscream until Mixmaster came to take her back to her cell.

Mixmaster then dropped her back into her cell and headed off without another word with the other Decepticons.

Jasmine felt tears leaking from her eyes as relief washed over her brain. Whatever had caused the base to tremble had just saved her life. She crawled over to the corner where her cot had been and hugged her good arm and legs close to her body. Something told her that help had finally come, and she prayed deep down that it was Optimus.

* * *

"_Everyone, we have arrived at our destination,"_ Marissa's voice boomed over the plane's speakers. _"Prepare to bail out in approximately ten minutes. Hope you got your parachutes on, because it's going to be quite a drop."_

At least twenty minutes earlier, Optimus' chronometer had woken him up from his recharge. He was eager to stretch his limbs, but they just had another ten more minutes before they were prepared to make the leap. He scanned himself to check to make sure that everything was all in place. When he found that everything was all in working order, his sensors detected the approach of Marissa. She was kneeling by one of his tyres and was unhitching them from their binds.

"You ready for this, Optimus?" she questioned with a soft smile.

"_As ready as I'll ever be,"_ Optimus replied, his tyres shifting slightly. _"This mission is far too important for us to fail."_

"I understand," she replied, giving him a gentle pat on the side. "Good luck out there."

"_You too, Marissa Faireborn,"_ Optimus replied casually.

Once she was done with unbinding him, she headed back to the head of the plane. Once he was certain that she was gone, Optimus opened up a private com-link to Sideswipe and Ratchet. _"Ratchet, Sideswipe, you will be taking a small team of humans into the base while Ironhide, Arcee, Chromia, Flareup, and the other N.E.S.T soldiers provide the distraction."_

"_Why do I have to go along with Ratchet, Optimus?"_ Sideswipe responded, a hint of annoyance in his voice. _"I'm a front-liner, not a babysitter!"_

Optimus snorted, _"The reason why you are going with Ratchet, Sideswipe, is because I know that you used to be one of the best bodyguards of an Autobot settlement before Demolisher destroyed them. You are also one of Ironhide's best students. I couldn't have picked a better Autobot to escort Ratchet and the N.E.S.T soldiers."_

There was a sigh. _"Fine, I'll do it, but only because I respect your decision and that Ironhide couldn't even do a better job anyway."_

Ratchet scoffed in response, but Sideswipe ignored him.

"_Alright, Autobots, it's bail out time,"_ Marissa spoke over the speakers. _"Go kick some Decepticon ass!"_

The hatch opens and a huge gush of window makes its way into the plane, causing Optimus to shiver slightly. While he was used to bailing out of dropships back on Cybertron, the rush of air never stopped surprising him with its coolness.

His tyres shift from side to side, engine roaring to life that was overshadowed by the howling of the wind and the C-17s massive engines. He rushed forward without warning. He fell for a split second before he transformed into his bipedal mode, stretching out his arms and legs as wide as he could before he straightened himself, allowing his fall to be fast and precise. With his speed increasing, he twisted and turned during his dive and – at the last second – three parachutes shot out from his back, slowing his descent. Just as he reached the ground, he corrected his position, transformed his hands into his twin blades and cut the strings. He landed with a heavy thud, shaking the ground beneath his weight.

Adjusting himself slightly, he glanced behind him to find Ratchet and Sideswipe standing on either side of him. They too shook their armour after the heavy landing, just as Ironhide, the Bike Sisters, and the N.E.S.T soldiers landed a short distance away.

Optimus didn't want to wait a second longer, Jasmine needed to be rescued quickly; he began to give out the commands. "Ratchet, Sideswipe, don't waste any time. Go now while it's quiet."

Ratchet and Sideswipe nodded and disappeared into the coming night with their team of four N.E.S.T soldiers that Epps and Major Lennox had handpicked for the mission. Their footsteps were the only sound that gave them away before they faded away from human sight. Ironhide and the Bike Sisters moved closer to Optimus, their weapons primed and ready.

Optimus could hear the clicking of weapons being prepped and he switched to night vision that would allow him to see in the dark. He could make out all twenty soldiers, Epps and Major Lennox loading up their assault rifles with sabot rounds. Some of the soldiers seemed nervous with the way how they were struggling to load up their weapons, but the experienced ones gave them reassuring pets on the shoulders to calm their nerves.

Optimus puffed his chest outwards as he shifted his blades back into his hands. At a simple mental command, his back plates shifted away from his body to reveal his fuel tanks. As the fuel tanks unhitched themselves, he grabbed the handles and pulled them out swiftly. The barrels extended outwards into his Dual Ion Blasters, their inner cores humming with power as they were primed and ready for battle.

The Decepticon base that stood no more than fifty meters away from their position opened up and eight Decepticons came pouring out of it like ants angered by the disturbance on their nest. Like the Autobots and the N.E.S.T soldiers, their weapons were also ready, but none of them made a move to attack.

The ceiling of the base suddenly erupted from within, glass and wood scattering and clattering to the ground in the wake of the Decepticon leader.

Starscream hovered in the air for a moment, his bright red optics narrowing in hatred at Optimus Prime. He pointed a finger at the Autobot commander, shouting: "Decepticons do not let the Autobots into the base!" His voice then became more frantic, more demanding, more high pitched. "Attack, attack, attack!" The thrusters on his back ignited powerfully and he shot towards the group.

With his battle mask sliding into place and his bright blue optics glowing with intense anger, Optimus tensed his body in preparation for the charge. He gave one simple command, his voice strong but still carrying his fury, "Autobots, soldiers of N.E.S.T, attack!"


	16. Ring Around the Halo: Part I

**Welp, this chapter came out far more quicker than I originally thought thanks to some inspiration from a friend. Credit goes to the amazing Mistress Megatron for helping me out the chapter's title because the original one did NOT sound too good for this two-parter. Be sure to visit her profile page because she is a damn good writer!  
**

**This two-parter chapter will have the names of characters at the top of some paragraphs to determine settings and who is the focus on them. Um... just read the chapter, you'll see what I mean. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter! I had fun with it!**

* * *

**Chapter 16:**

**Ring Around the Halo – Part I**

**Optimus Prime**

As Starscream blasted towards Optimus at alarming speed, the Autobot commander's processor and optical sensors calculated and determined the exact velocity that his opponent was travelling and how long it would take for him to reach him. His processor calculated that Starscream was travelling at less than mach one in order to prevent himself from going face first in the ground. With a chance that his shot may miss, Optimus aimed his left blaster and primed it to the fullest.

He waited.

Starscream continued to come; hard and fast.

With optics squinting and his inner self screaming to release the shot, he fired two shots of plasma bursts at the flying Decepticon. The first shot flew past his form harmlessly, but the second shot scored a direct hit on his left wing.

Starscream faltered somewhat on his flight path, but he seemed to recover enough to keep on coming.

He was just seconds from hitting him full on when Optimus released another two shots at him. Both shots managed to hit him square in the chest, but never penetrating his armour. It was enough to send him falling from his path and head straight to Optimus thanks to being pushed by his thrusters. He was just a microsecond from him and Optimus neatly stepped aside just as Starscream lost control and skidded across the ground, dust and dirt kicking up in his wake.

From all around them, the Decepticons were firing random shots at their opponents. The team of N.E.S.T soldiers commanded by Major Lennox and Epps quickly fanned outward in an attempt to keep most of them occupied while Ironhide managed to fire a shot at Mixmaster just as he tackled him to the ground, throwing a set of punches into his face that were enough to keep him well away from the rest of his faction.

The Bike Sisters – Arcee, Chromia, and Flareup – skittered about relentlessly around a red Decepticon armed with caterpillar treads for whips, firing random shots at him. It was enough to keep him occupied and far enough to not get any aid from his allies.

As Ironhide fought Mixmaster, he took a double take when he realised that there were now seven Decepticons instead of eight. He frowned and tried to voice his concern to Optimus, but Mixmaster delivered a full on punch to his faceplates, distracting him from opening up his com-link to his commander. He growled angrily and delivered a punch of his own to the tall black and white Decepticon.

Starscream picked himself up off the ground and snarled viciously at Optimus. "You'll pay with that with your life, Prime!" he threatened.

Optimus just simply returned his plasma blasters into his back, shifting them into their fuel tank forms. He stood up tall, optics narrowing dangerously and his lips tightening beneath his mask. He changed his stance, legs bunching up together and elbows pushed outward. Without warning, he charged directly for Starscream, his broad feet smashing into the ground as he continued to run like an athlete sprinter.

The surprise of the charge was enough for him to tackle into Starscream full on with his four tonne body. Metal crunched, bent, and dented in several places as the two titans clashed. They rolled, tossed, and turned as they struggled to gain the upper hand. But Optimus managed to score several punches into Starscream's faceplates.

Starscream attempted to deflect the blows that were coming in hard and vicious.

Optimus was about to throw in another punch when Starscream rolled his body toward the left, surprising him as he found himself on his back. A massively clawed foot pressed down upon his neck, cutting off the oxygen to his tanks. Optimus gasped and tried to remove the full on weight of his opponent, but Starscream didn't budge at all.

The Decepticon commander leaned forward, bright red optics leering with glee. "I shall enjoy watching you choke, Prime," he sneered. "It will be a slow and painful death for you!"

* * *

**Sideswipe**

"I don't like this, Sideswipe," Ratchet whispered as he, Sideswipe, and the four N.E.S.T soldiers quietly moved toward the back of the Decepticon base. While Sideswipe had been eager to get inside, Ratchet had been ever the cautious one.

Fortunately, the back had been unguarded since all the Decepticons were outside and the lead soldier – Greg Boiling – motioned to two of the soldiers on his right and they went forward, assault rifles drawn until they reached the left and right sides of the door, listening for a split moment before one of them threw a frag grenade inside. It rolled inside and detonated seconds later, pieces of sabot shrapnel scattering in different directions. When there were no cries of agony from within the building, the second soldier waved over to the rest.

As they made their way inside, Sideswipe glanced sideways at his companion and shrugged. "You worry too much," he snorted.

Ratchet shot him a look that he ignored as the soldiers checked their corners, their rifles primed and ready. Sideswipe's legs bunched together at the slightest sounds as he skated slowly forward on his wheeled feet, the machine gun in his back pointing wherever he looked.

The base was bigger than he originally thought it would be, reminding him of the human saying 'like navigating through a maze'. Sometimes they wound up at a dead end; other times they found empty cells with no signs of life.

He heightened his sensors to maximum capacity, knowing that he had better luck than Ratchet and the humans in searching for their target. He wasn't the master of certain martial arts for nothing, having trained his frame and processor to go through just about every technique he could learn until there was nothing left to take in. By blocking out the breathing of his comrades, he could detect the faintest sounds that no one else could hear.

The corridor's end opened to a wide room. The walls and the ceiling towered over the group, at least thirty metres from the floor to the roof while the floor stretched outwards sixty metres ahead of them. The entire room was shadowed in complete darkness with only a fair bit of light getting through a few holes in the roof from the moon. Another corridor at the end of the room lay in the middle, probably leading them to their next destination.

Sideswipe found himself smirking at the wideness of this place. If it wasn't a Decepticon base, this would have been a perfect training ground for him.

Fortunately, his proximity sensors were always on high alert as well and they detected the movement just as Ratchet picked up the movement as well. He raised an arm upwards, halting the team's advancement. By keeping them back, they would not get in the way of whatever it was he may encounter. After all, it was his job as their escort to protect them and Ratchet at any cost, even if he didn't like the job.

He silently moved forward, sensors maximized for any signs of danger.

His sensors went off again just as a small form pounced upon his chassis, startling him as he fell on his aft. He heard the clicking noise of assault rifles being aimed at his attacker.

"No, don't shoot!" Greg's gruff voice cried in alarm. "You could hit Sideswipe! Lower your weapons!"

Something with red optics leaned toward him, jaws opening wide and littered with thousands of needle-like teeth, but he lashed out with the blunt side of his right sword that hit the creature in the side of the head, earning a hiss in response.

It rolled several times before it managed to right itself and getting back up on its four paws.

Sideswipe picked himself up as well and scanned the being in the darkness, though it was hard to make out because of how his attacker blended in perfectly with the gloom. And he knew only one Decepticon who could do that: Ravage.

Ravage snarled from the shadows, hackles raised, before he lunged forward again, claws outstretched towards his victim.

But Sideswipe was ready by lifting up an arm to block the incoming feline. Ravage's jaws latched onto it and his claws grasped his thick arm, burrowing their way deep into his metallic skin until they bled precious energon that splattered onto the ground. He grimaced from the attack, but he managed to raise a three-fingered hand and pry the hissing beast off him. He used as much strength as he could by tossing him several metres away.

Ravage landed on his back and picked himself up. He let off a snarl of anger, having lost the element of surprise, and darted in the direction of the exit, but not before Sideswipe raised an arm and fired a few shots at him from his wrist blaster, a couple of them hitting his left hip. Ravage let off one final yelp before he vanished into the night.

Sideswipe snorted in amusement. "Pft, felines," he huffed cockily, retuning his blaster back into his wrist.

The N.E.S.T soldiers and Ratchet were at his side.

Ratchet attempted to make a grab for his injured arm, but he pulled it away. "Just let me look at you," he growled impatiently.

The silver mech shot him a glare. "No need for your concern, Doc," he snorted. "I am a warrior, I bleed for conflict."

"My name is not Doc!" Ratchet snapped, but Sideswipe just ignored him as he skated forwards slightly, checking to make sure that there was no one else in the room.

"We should probably get moving," he said, frowning a bit. "I do not like the feeling of this place."

"I agree with Sideswipe," Greg nodded. "Something tells me that there are worse things than that cat that we bumped into."

"Fine," Ratchet grumbled in defeat, but not before he turned to Sideswipe and jabbed a finger into his chest. "But after we're done here, I'm taking a look at that arm of yours."

"Whatever," Sideswipe sighed and he and the team prepared to advance forward, only to stop in their tracks when they spotted a small, silver mech with serrated claws on his hands standing before them. Only one word escaped Sideswipe's mouth that made Ratchet think twice. "Sideways."

* * *

**Optimus Prime**

Just when Optimus thought he was going to lose consciousness, a blast from the sidelines hit Starscream right in the back where his thrusters were. Starscream hissed in pain and he was forced to remove his foot off the struggling Autobot commander. Optimus knew that he needed to take advantage of the situation fast before Starscream recovered and he reacted accordingly by sweeping one leg underneath him, causing Starscream to fall onto his injured back.

Optimus stood up to his full height and he managed to catch a glimpse of Major Lennox and a few N.E.S.T soldiers standing a distance away on a small grassy hill, one of them with a rocket launcher pointed in their direction and smoking from its barrel. He gave them the universal thumbs up and Major Lennox waved in response.

Starscream was once again back on his feet and he released a missile in the humans' direction.

"**No!**" Optimus cried as the missile flew toward them at lightning speed.

Suddenly a massive black form stood between them and the missile and it hit the mech square in the back. Optimus' optics widened as the smoke and dust evaporated to reveal Ironhide shielding the humans from the missile. Thanks to Ironhide's thick armour, he was only mildly damaged.

"They don't call me Ironhide for nothing," he grunted.

Optimus nodded with a knowing smile, shaking his head with amusement before he returned his attention back to Starscream, his left hand shifting into his blade. He let off a battlecry and lashed out with his blade, the sharp side cutting deep into his armour. Starscream hissed in pain and countered with a blow of his own, his claws outstretched and slashing against Optimus' battle mask, leaving four sets of scrapes on it. Optimus responded by giving Starscream another headbutt, knocking his sensors off balance for a moment, but it's enough for him to go on the offense again.

Optimus once again tackled Starscream to the ground, throwing in a couple of punches to his face, energon staining his knuckles and his opponent went on the defensive, trying to shield his face from the series of blows that were connecting every single time.

The blows would have continued if Optimus hadn't left himself wide open.

This was taken immediate advantage of as Starscream lashed out with his claws again, burrowing them deep into Optimus' midsection... spilling energon.

Before Optimus could have a chance to recover, Starscream once again rolled him onto his back and planted his foot on his bleeding body. He dug his heel deep into it, earning a groan of pain from the Autobot commander's vocal processor.

Starscream glanced all around him, and he spoke up, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear him. "You all shall be the first to witness the fall of the Optimus Prime!" he announced. "Now he shall die at the hands of the true Decepticon leader!"

"Hail Lord Starscream!" Grindor announced from afar. "Hail Lord Starscream!"

Starscream smirked, his optics returning to Optimus Prime's pathetic form. He raised an arm above his head, claws wide. "Now die!"

The arm came down and fell towards Optimus' spark chamber.

* * *

**Up next: Ring Around the Halo - Part II!  
**

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter, but I apologise for it being a bit short and the cliffhanger. The real stuff begins in the next one. Until the next update, stay tuned!**


	17. Ring Around the Halo: Part II

**Because I'm in such a good mood, you're going to get two chapters this week. This chapter and chapter 18, which will be uploaded some time around this week. Can't exactly say when, but it will be either Thursday or Friday. We'll see how I go. The reason why I'm doing that is because of how much I love my readers and reviewers. You guys are making this story worth writing whenever I get the chance to. Thank you all so much!**

**Now we draw to the end of the two-parter. Again, credit goes to Mistress Megatron for helping me with the title of the two-parter. She's amazingly awesome!**

* * *

**Chapter 17:**

**Ring Around the Halo – Part II**

**Sideswipe**

Ratchet stared blankly at Sideswipe, who stared fiercely into the optics of his opponent that he had identified as Sideways. Never had he or the humans had felt so much spite between them. Sideswipe's entire stance had changed completely from relaxed to completely tense. He was crouched in a battle stance, his arms and legs spread out slightly in an attempt to prepare himself for a very brutal battle, and the blades in his wrists sliding from within his silver chassis. His optics were narrowed into a hateful stare that was enough to make even Megatron quake in his boots.

A bubbling question finally formed itself on Ratchet's lips. "How do you know Sideways?"

The front-liner never tore is gaze from Sideways. "All you need to know," he spat venomously, "is that he used to be my friend."

What came out of his vocal processor shocked both Ratchet and the soldiers.

"Listen, I want you to go and find Jasmine while I keep Sideways occupied." His hands clenched tightly into fists as his voice having intensified from the negative feelings that poured from his spark. He sensed Ratchet attempting to argue, but he would have none of it. "Don't even think about voicing your opinion!" he snapped. "It is my job to protect you and the soldiers, and that is what I am doing."

Sideswipe wasn't sure what Ratchet did in response to his words, but something told him that his point had been made. He heard the green mech head toward the passageway at the end of the room, and Sideways made no attempt to stop them.

Once they were alone, Sideswipe raised a right bladed arm and pointed it directly at Sideways. "Why did you do it?" he growled.

"I did what I had to, you fragger!" he hissed angrily, his arms trembling slightly, tossing an arm outward in fury. "You don't even know what they did to me. They practically tortured me into submission! I begged them to stop, but they wouldn't unless I joined them. I thought you were my friend, Sideswipe, I thought you of all 'Bots would get me out of there."

Sideswipe cried, "I thought they had killed you in the battle for Tyger Pax! When I didn't see a body when we cleared the field of the dead, I assumed you would be alive. We searched all over for you!"

"Yet you never found me," Sideways sighed, lowering his head. "Once they broke me and you didn't find me, I did the only thing I could in order to make you suffer for leaving me in their clutches." He lifted his head and his faceplates had shifted to insanity, his lips pulling into a smirk and his optics wide with hatred. "I and Demolisher... took the lives of that precious colony of yours. The one you and your brother so desperately tried to protect. What happened to your brother, Sideswipe? Was he amongst the dead as well?"

"Stop it..." Sideswipe whispered, his arms lowering.

"Touched a nerve did I?" Sideways laughed. "If you must know... it was I who ripped your brother's spark from yours!"

"**Shut up!**" Sideswipe snarled in anger, lunging forward in an attempt to silence the Decepticon. But he only slashed at thin air as Sideways leapt aside, mocking laughter escaping his vocal processor. But Sideswipe was quick enough to anticipate this and he lashed out with his other blade, the sword cutting deep into the armour of his opponent. Sideways let off a hiss of pain as energon slashed onto the cement.

Furious, Sideways spread out his servos, the wheels that made up his hand ejected spikes from within his interior. The blades began to spin faster than Sideswipe could blink, spinning until they were nothing more than a silver blur. He lashed out with one arm, the blades slicing through Sideswipe's chest plate and penetrating the protoform skin, but missing the spark chamber by mere inches. More energon splattered onto the floor, mixing in with Sideways' own.

But Sideswipe's anger blinded him to the pain and he let off a snarl that rattled the building's windows. Despite his injury, he continued to attack, hitting Sideways over and over again with his blades, while Sideways' posture turned to a defensive stance. The furious roars, snarls and growls blending in with each other until the entire room was echoing with their cries.

* * *

**Optimus Prime**

As the claws fell toward Optimus' spark chamber, the Autobot commander reacted with lightning fast reflexes given to him with hundreds of years of training experience: he swept one leg beneath Starscream's own, tripping him over and causing him to land upon his aft. Optimus was once again back on his feet and he made a grab for his opponent, picking him up with his strong arms and tossing him like a ragdoll as far as he could.

Starscream flew high for a moment before he recovered by correcting his position and transforming into his jet mode. His thrusters ignited with fire and power, shooting him up into the sky as fast as they would allow him.

Optimus frowned in suspicion. Was Starscream running away like last time, leaving his men to fend for themselves? His thoughts proved correct when Starscream pulled a three-sixty degree turn, pointing his nose straight toward Optimus and releasing two sets of missiles. The missiles came hard and fast, raining down upon him with full force. He had to raise his arms and close his optics in order to shield himself from the heat, dust and smoke. Unfortunately, his vocal processors ended up being clogged with the black clouds, causing him to cough violently.

A second explosion shook the ground and he was thrown off his feet and onto his backside, only to wind up being grabbed by sharp claws and being lifted up into the sky. It took him less than a second to register that Starscream had used the smoke to hide himself, transform, and make a grab for him.

"Starscream, you fragger!" he spat, struggling in vain to escape the strong grip of his opponent.

Starscream just laughed mockingly in response and rose even higher than ever.

Optimus could make out the black outline of Ironhide in the darkness, aiming his cannons upwards. They were primed and ready to fire, but the plasma never left the barrels. Optimus realised that he couldn't get a clear shot because he was in the way of his adversary.

He struggled harder.

"Stop that or you're going to make us both fall!" Starscream snapped.

Optimus' struggles only increased. "I can take the fall," he bluffed. "Can you?"

He wasn't sure if Starscream called his bluff, but he didn't really want to test out his own endurance on taking a fall from this height.

As they continued to rise further, he noticed that Starscream was having trouble maintaining his balance. His processor registered that Starscream's injured wing was the cause for his misery.

Knowing that he didn't have much of a choice, he did what he knew was going to endanger his life. He reached out for Starscream's badly damaged wing and yanked hard. The reaction was exactly as he expected it to be. Starscream howled and screeched in white hot agony, but Optimus didn't stop there, he twisted it and turned it violently until the skies itself seemed to tremble with the cries of his enemy.

With Starscream now distracted by the pain, Optimus twisted his body as hard as he could. The combination of the weight of his body turning and Starscream being unable to maintain control of his flight, they found themselves tossing and rolling in the air until everything became a blur. Several times the ground came into Optimus' view and he realised it was coming closer the faster they plummeted.

_Primus, this is going to hurt,_ he thought bitterly and he braced himself.

But he knew that he could never be prepared for the full impact.

They landed with sickening crash of metal and ground. Optimus could have sworn he was screaming in pain. His vocal processor was hurting from his howler, but he was quick to push the pain aside. His body skidded across the battlefield, his mask shattering in half from hitting a very hard rock that was buried deep in the earth. Energon dripped from cuts, dings and dents formed as he continued to bounce along.

His audio and optical sensors had both shutdown, but his pain receptors continued to sound off, telling him exactly what he didn't want to hear. The pain going through his dislocated arm was beyond excruciating.

As his sensors rebooted themselves, he could barely make out Ironhide's voice calling his name. Wincing, he pushed himself to stand up, his head shooting toward the sky as the image of a smiling Jasmine appeared in his processor, reminding him what he was fighting for.

* * *

**Jasmine Clark**

_Bang, bang, bang, bang._

The entire building seemed to tremble from whatever was going on outside the base. The continuous noise seemed to repeat itself over and over again, followed by padding that was moving fast paced and unusually out of sync with each other alongside the massive banging that was drawing closer.

Jasmine lifted her head, blinking in surprise. She'd been so caught up in her confusion that she hadn't noticed that the padding and banging had got even closer than ever. Damnit, she was such a fool for thinking that. She sat up to her full height quickly and drew as far from the cell's bars as she could, hoping that it wasn't Starscream and his Decepticons that were coming her way.

Much to her surprise, it wasn't Starscream and his men at all. In fact, four of them were human while the massive green mech was definitely not one of Starscream's men. The humans appeared unafraid of the being that was with them and she realised that it must be one of Optimus' fellow Cybertronians that he called Autobots.

The humans were clothed in what looked like armour, their heads hidden behind helmets with an antenna on the right side and a tinted visor. They carried rifles of unknown design, but she knew that they would be assault rifles. A logo with the Autobot symbol on top of a scan of Earth, followed by four letters spelt in capitals as 'N.E.S.T.' was mounted on the left side of the chest plate.

One of the soldiers glanced over in her direction and he seemed to hesitate when their eyes met each other. "Ratchet, over here!" he shouted, waving the green mech over to them.

Jasmine frowned at the mention of the mech's name. Ratchet sounded like the surname of her doctor. But none of that mattered now as the mech came forward and kneeled down to get a look at her, his sky blue eyes peering at her and she shivered when they made eye contact. They seemed to widen when he finished with whatever he was doing and stood up to his full height, shaking his head, growling and muttering something underneath his breath.

He carefully stuck an arm through the ceiling of the cell where Starscream had made the hole earlier. He inched forward carefully and wrapped his fingers around Jasmine's delicate body. She was far too weak to even struggle, but Ratchet's hand was surprisingly gentle and warm, applying no force to her at all. The hand gently laid her on the ground, a bright blue beam of light shooting from out of Ratchet's eyes. The beam went from her head down to her toes and back up again.

After several seconds, the beam retreated back into his eyes, alarm written all over his face. He turned to one of the soldiers, his expression changing to concern. "She's badly dehydrated," he said. "Get her something to drink."

"I've got some in my backpack," a female soldier spoke up, coming forward as she took off a bag off her back. She kneeled down beside Jasmine and pulled out a bottle of crystal clear water. As she took off the lid, Jasmine could make out the name of soldier on her right chest piece: Daniela "Danny" Gonzalez. The top of the bottle was placed against Jasmine's lips and she drank the contents greedily, but gratefully.

From the corner of her eye, she made out Ratchet transforming into a massive custom-designed ambulance that flashed its sirens, but no sound came out. _"Get her inside the back of me,"_ he ordered quickly. _"I'll keep her safe from further harm. All I ask is that someone keep an eye on her progress."_

"I'll do it, Ratchet," Daniela announced as she and another soldier helped Jasmine to her feet and carried her to Ratchet. Once she was safely strapped into place on a stretcher and wrapped in a blanket to keep her warm, Daniela climbed in after her.

Jasmine blinked and turned her head toward the front of the vehicle, a nagging question forming on her dried lips, "You're the one who helped Optimus get me out of Silverflame and took me to the hospital aren't you?"

Ratchet was silent for a moment before he replied, _"Yes that was me. I'm glad you remembered."_

Feeling reassured, Jasmine settled into the stretcher while Daniela sat beside her, assault rifle clutched tightly in her hands as the doors to the back of the ambulance was closed.

A loud bang rattled Ratchet's interior and Jasmine was bounced in her stretcher.

"_Climb into the front section, soldiers!"_ Ratchet ordered.

The soldiers didn't need to be told twice as they climbed inside their companion, but not before one of them stopped when they spotted something from the corner of their eye. It was a sliver of unusual metal with strange symbols on them. He picked it up and stuffed it into his pocket, running back over to Ratchet and closing the driver's side door behind him.

"Let's go, Ratchet!" he barked.

Ratchet didn't need to be told twice as he floored it just as a stout, silver figure comes crashing from down the corridor and onto the spot where they had just been.

Another silver figure came skating from the same direction, armed with two blades in his wrists, bleeding in several places on his body, and a furious look in his baby blue eyes. _"Sideswipe, you fragger,"_ Ratchet snapped angrily, clearly pissed at the newcomer. _"You could have hurt the humans!"_

Sideswipe just shrugged his shoulders, unaffected by Ratchet's ebullition.

"_Just transform and escort us out the base,"_ Ratchet sighed. He shifted his tyres a bit before continuing, _"Besides, Sideways isn't going anywhere, considering the sorry state he's in."_

Sideswipe's eyes shifted to Sideways, who lay motionless on the ground. For a moment, he seemed to not listen to what Ratchet was saying before he moved over to his opponent and kicked him in the side harshly. "That's for my brother you glitch!" he hissed. He backed away slightly, still glaring at him. "I hope you'll rust in the Pit."

He then transformed into his slick Corvette form and followed after Ratchet at blinding speed.

* * *

**Optimus Prime**

"_Optimus, we've got Jasmine and are escaping the base even as I speak."_

Having managed to stand up, Optimus could barely hold back a smile of relief. Ratchet's message was more than just that, it had given him the strength that he needed to get back up on his feet once more, fighting through the pain that was still coursing through his chassis. It felt like it was burning and surging like the flames of a forest fire. A fire that would not be quenched until Ratchet looked him over.

"Thank you, Ratchet," he uttered, his voice strained from the pain he was in. He shook his head as he stood up tall, glancing over to the fallen Starscream where he lay in his crater. "Get as far from the base as you can."

"_Are you alright, Optimus?"_ Ratchet asked, his voice filled with concern.

"I've been better," Optimus quickly replied casually and disconnected the com-link before his friend could ask any more questions. He'd been so occupied with talking to Ratchet that he didn't notice Ironhide and the Bike Sisters were moving up to his side. The N.E.S.T soldiers also drew in closer as well, but Optimus knew that all of them were worried about his wellbeing since he didn't look as better than Starscream.

Ironhide placed a hand upon his shoulder, obviously seeing the dings, dents, and energon coating his entire chassis. "Are you sure you're alright?" he questioned.

"I'm fine, old friend," Optimus answered, brushing him off as he strolled menacingly toward Starscream, but not before he looked down at the two main humans of the group. "Sergeant Epps, call in an airstrike to destroy the base. This place is a soul reminder of what we have fought for today."

Epps saluted and brought out a walkie-talkie to call in the Air Force.

Satisfied, Optimus walked even further toward Starscream as Grindor started helping him up. Upon seeing him, all the Decepticons drew their weapons and pointed them at the Autobot commander. Optimus stopped as he too heard his men and Lennox's own pointing their weapons at the enemy.

"Curse you, Optimus Prime," Starscream hissed. "Curse you all to the Pit! You'll pay for what you've done."

But Optimus ignored and took one more step closer, but never any further. "I'll give you one chance to surrender, Starscream," he announced coldly.

Starscream just shook his head. "Me? Surrender to the likes of you and your little zoo? I don't think so." He whipped out one arm, pointing it directly at Optimus as a missile formed on his wrist.

Optimus attempted to pull out one of his ion blasters when a burst of plasma hit Starscream square in the shoulder and the arm fell off with a massive bang on the ground next to him, energon gushing out of the exposed circuits from the socket and the end of the arm.

As Starscream howled in pain, Optimus turned to see Ironhide pointing his cannons in their direction, smoke escaping from their barrels.

"Lord Starscream is wounded!" Mixmaster bellowed. "Attack the Autobots!"

Just as the Decepticons were about to follow his example, a loud whooshing noise was heard from the west. Everyone glanced up in time to see a squadron of F22 Raptors flying toward them, coming in hot, low, and fast. They released something from their wings and split up in different directions.

Seconds later, there was a mighty loud bang, followed by an explosion of fire, smoke, dust, and rubble. The Autobots and Decepticons were knocked off balance from the shockwave, but the humans were completely blown away. They would have been blown across the grassland if it weren't for Ironhide and the Bike Sisters who shielded them to the best of their abilities.

Debris rained down upon the battlefield from the sky and Optimus managed to recover, the determined look upon his faceplates reappearing. "It's over, Starscream!" he declared. "Surrender now!"

Grindor leaned over Starscream, having been the first to recover from the blast, and whispered something in his audio receptor. Starscream seemed to nod in agreement to whatever he was saying. He glanced over to his brethren and shouted, "Decepticons, retreat!"

They all nodded in response and the ground based ones quickly departed without warning. Grindor wrapped both arms around his leader and began to lift him off the ground. But as they flew higher, Starscream shot a glare at Optimus. "It won't be the last time you'll hear from us, Prime," he snarled. "The next time that we meet, things will be very different when we awaken the fallen!"

Before Optimus could demand to know what he was talking about, they were gone.


	18. Never Good Enough

**Because I was feeling partially in a good mood, and because I love my fans so much, you're going to get this chapter in early. Please have some tissues ready, because what I wrote actually broke my heart. Also, have the song "If I Let You Go" by Westlife. Please? It was a perfect fitting for this event, one that made the chapter worth writing and picturing at the same time. Here's why:**

_"But if I let you go, I will never know what my life would be holding you close to me. Will I ever see you smiling back at me? How will I know if I let you go?" - If I Let You Go, Westlife  
_

* * *

**Chapter 18:**

**Never Good Enough**

It had merely been several minutes since the battle had ended, but Optimus was desperate. After the adrenaline had worn off from the fight, Major Lennox and Epps walked around the battlefield with some of their men to check to see if any of their own was amongst the dead. Optimus hadn't heard a peep from out of Sideswipe's group since Ratchet's last report and this worried him. He mentally prayed to Primus that nothing had happened to them during the event, but something told him that they would be fine until he had checked in with Ironhide and the Bike Sisters.

From what they had told him, they were not seriously injured, though Ironhide had a few burns coating his body. Energon leaked from a gash on the side of his helm as well; no doubt it was a present from Mixmaster during their nasty skirmish.

Once he knew that they were alright, Optimus diverted his attention to searching for Sideswipe's group. He had tried calling the warrior on the com-link, but had received no response. It seemed that either Sideswipe's com had got damaged or he was offline, but Optimus knew better than not to jump to conclusions. He then tried Ratchet, but all he got was static.

Panic slowly took over his processor, Optimus barked out orders to Ironhide and the Bike Sisters to search for the group. The N.E.S.T soldiers, who had reported that only five of their men were killed in action, were also given the orders by Major Lennox and Epps to help look as well with their energon detectors and night vision goggles.

It took no more than half an hour to locate the group.

Sideswipe, the soldiers and Ratchet had somehow managed to get as far from the destruction of the base as possible. They were found just two kilometres away from the battlefield near a line of trees.

Sideswipe was standing vigilant, blades at the ready while keeping an eye out for anything that might pose a threat to his charges, and covered in energon that was a mix of both his and whoever he had fought. Ratchet was sitting in his vehicle mode, unmoving, and the three out of the four soldiers were sitting close together, trying to keep warm from the cool evening.

There appeared to be no sign of Jasmine or the fourth female soldier.

Optimus and his group approached them cautiously, and once they were spotted and identified by Sideswipe, they were allowed to come closer. Optimus wasted no time in getting straight to the point as Major Lennox debriefed Greg Boiling.

"Sideswipe, where is Jasmine?" he demanded, unable to hold back his concern for his charge.

The bloodied silver mech blinked as though his thoughts were somewhere far away. He shook his head, seemingly pushing them to the back of his processor. "She's safe," he replied, standing at attention. "She's in the back of Ratchet with one of the human soldiers, who is keeping an eye on her."

He bowed his head slightly, his expression serious.

"Sir, she was in really bad shape when Ratchet and the soldiers found her," he continued. "From what Ratchet told me, she was badly dehydrated and starving for food, even though it had been only four and a half days since she last ate. Her eyes were even sensitive toward the light because she had been kept in darkness for that long."

Optimus' hands clenched tightly into fists, anger boiling deep inside his spark. "Let me see her," he demanded softly. "Please."

"_I can't let you see her, Optimus,"_ Ratchet's voice spoke up, _"at least not yet. She needs some rest and fluids in her system. I need to get her to the nearest hospital so that a human doctor can look her over, even though Danny and I managed to stabilise her."_

"Then I'll come with you," Optimus said desperately. "Ratchet, please?"

For a moment, Ratchet didn't say a word and Optimus thought he would say no. But much to his surprise, a deep sigh of defeat came from the ambulance. _"Alright, fine. You can come, Optimus. But I don't want you getting in my way."_

"Optimus, what do you want us to do?" Major Lennox questioned, looking up at Optimus.

The Autobot commander glanced down at the human with determined optics. "Take everyone back to Diego Garcia and have Jason get onto an aircraft for Kaweah Delta Medical Centre, I'm going with Ratchet to watch over Jasmine like I promised." He turned to Ironhide, Sideswipe, and the Bike Sisters. "You can back if you wish, but I would like someone to come along to escort Ratchet to the hospital."

"I'll do it, Optimus," insisted Ironhide. "You'll need someone big and strong to protect you both."

When the others didn't volunteer, they and the rest of the N.E.S.T soldiers began to make their way up the hill, but Greg approached Optimus and fingered for something in his pocket. Once he found what he was looking for, he handed it to him. Optimus tried to say something, but the soldier turned on his heel and made his way up the hill, but not before he stopped and looked back at him. Optimus waited patiently for him to speak. "It's quite clear, Sir, that girl is very special to you," he said softly. "Look after her well."

"I will," Optimus smiled faintly, clutching the object tightly in his hand. "And thank you for getting her out of the base. I am eternally grateful for what you did."

Greg saluted to Optimus and followed after his men. Optimus watched them go until they were out of sight. He stuffed the object into his subspace pocket, and then he and Ironhide transformed into their vehicle modes, following after the quick moving Ratchet.

* * *

Jasmine's eyes fluttered open, but all she could see was blackness. Something was obviously covering up her eyes in an attempt to protect them from the light that she could faintly make out from the bright outlines. From what her body could tell, she was lying on a bed beneath a warm blanket. She could also feel something was in her unparalysed arm, but she couldn't distinguish it due to the calm darkness that enveloped her vision.

She could make out the sounds of a beeping machine, followed by quiet breathing toward her right, indicating that someone was in the room with her. This confirmed that she was in a hospital. Damnit, she was really getting tired of coming into these places...

She stirred slightly in the bed, hoping to get the attention of whoever was in the room.

Something padded over to her side from the far side of the room, the movement deliberately slow and quiet as though it was determined not to disturb whoever was breathing quietly. Something warm and gentle took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. It was squeeze that stirred her memories from the farthest corner of her brain.

"O-Optimus?" she whispered, tears threatening to fall down her cheeks. No, it couldn't be!

"Yes, Jasmine, it's me," came the deep, familiar baritone voice of her guardian.

She couldn't help herself. She burst into tears as she started crying.

A pair of warm hands enveloped her body, sitting her up gently and then pulling her into a hug. She felt her head press against something hard, but very warm and she knew that she was being pressed against the small hologram version of Optimus Prime. The arms covered her up completely, drawing her in as she sobbed uncontrollably.

She really couldn't believe that she was back with Optimus again after a long four and a half days of being separated from him, Midnight, and Jason. The last she had seen of him was being badly injured by Barricade and Starscream until they took her away to their base. She'd been afraid for a while that the neither the Autobots nor Optimus would ever find her, fearing that his injuries were far too straining on his frame.

Now, they were together again, and she couldn't bear to be separated from him anymore.

"Optimus, is she ok?"

Jasmine stiffened at those words, but she couldn't help but smile at her brother's familiar voice.

"She's fine, Jason," Optimus replied, his fingers streaming through her hair's thin black strands. It felt soothing to her both her scalp and her constricting heart. "She just woke up."

Jasmine didn't want to remove herself from her guardian's protective and comforting arms, but she knew that she had to in order to give her brother reassurance that she was fine. She carefully pulled away from Optimus and found herself encaged in Jason's own arms; his flesh soft against her own.

"I thought I'd never see you again," Jason's voice whispered in her ear.

"I didn't think I would see you either," she answered back, her throat thickening with her emotions. "I missed you both so much."

"What did the Decepticons want with you anyway?" Jason asked quickly. "Did they even hurt you?"

Jasmine opened her mouth to say something, but no words would come out. She bowed her head and pushed away from Jason, unable to speak at all. How could she? It had obviously been the worst experience she ever had to go through. She had felt no sunlight, no food or water in her stomach to keep her alive. It had been like agonising torture to both her body and her mind.

She brought her knees close to her chest and rocked herself. The memories of being trapped in a dirty old cell with only a cot to keep her company plagued her brain like swords stabbing into her body.

"Jason," Optimus' gentle voice cut in, removing all traces of the trauma, "I think it is best that we do not force Jasmine to speak of what she went through. One must understand that getting someone to talk about the pain before they are even ready is just as damaging to the heart as it is to the mind."

A deep sigh was heard and she was enveloped in a pair of arms again. "I'm sorry, Jasmine, I didn't mean to pry."

"I-its fine, Jason," she muttered. "Right now I just want to go home."

"And you will soon," Optimus said kindly. "But you need time to recover, and it will be a little while before you get to see again. Your eyes need to recuperate after having been in the darkness for so long."

"And you'll stay with me won't you?" Jasmine asked nervously.

She could've sworn he was smiling, but he once again took her into his arms, rocking her in a fatherly manner that made her feel safe and sound, chasing away the frightening thoughts buried deep within her mind. "Every step of the way, Little One," he whispered in her ear. "I promise."

She leaned into his chest, closing her eyes and listening to the life essence within his chest that warmed her completely. She couldn't have asked for a better friend than the very one who had saved her life all those weeks ago.

* * *

Jasmine's physical recovery went by extremely quick. It took no more than a fortnight before she was deemed fit enough to leave the hospital and go home. She had only suffered from three days worth of starvation and dehydration, but the doctors wanted to ensure that she was fully alright by prescribing her special medication to control her brain-damaged seizure. Although Jasmine reassured them that she was alright, Optimus sensed that deep down there was more going on inside her than the doctors actually knew.

Before she was cleared to go home and Optimus had his human hologram watching over her while she slept in the bed, he had noticed her twitching violently, whimpering about 'robot-worms' and 'confined spaces'. He'd switched to his actual robotic holoform and rushed over to her side, gently shaking her awake until she had cried in his arms until he was stained from salt streaks and finger marks.

While he didn't want to force her to talk until she was ready, he sensed that Jasmine had been through something far worse than the doctors could ever hope to diagnose. She'd cried for half an hour as he had stroked her head, soothing her with promises that she was fine and that he was here for her until she had fallen asleep again.

By the time the doctors had allowed her to go home the next morning and Jasmine had climbed into his passenger's side... he knew that he had some thinking to do regarding the situation of his little human.

Once they had reached Tranquility, Optimus had called Jason to let him know that they were nearing their destination. Jason was there waiting for them outside by the time they reached the house. Optimus pulled up onto the driveway and parked himself. He activated the small version of himself and helped Jasmine out of the vehicle.

Jason approached them, a warm smile upon his lips as he wrapped his arms around his twin sister. "Jasmine, it's good to see you home at last."

The young woman seemed to force a smile. "It's good to be home, Jason," she replied, almost a little too casually.

Jason didn't seem to notice, but Optimus did. He activated his hidden scanners and noticed her heart was not beating its normal rate. "Jasmine, there is nothing to be afraid of," he whispered to her kindly.

She flinched a little, but emitted a deep sigh. "Sorry, I... I haven't been home in a long while and..."

Optimus shook his head. "You do not need to say anything now," he said softly. "Go inside the house and I'll bring your suitcase in."

She nodded, closing her eyes tightly as she made her way toward the house.

Optimus' holoform approached Jason and he took his arm in his hand, his grip tight, but not tight enough to hurt him. He looked him deep in the eye, his tone serious as he spoke every word carefully. "Jason, meet me outside the house out the back at midnight. Please make sure that Jasmine is asleep when you come down. We need to talk."

Jason frowned a bit. "Alright," he replied. "I hope that whatever it is that you want to talk about isn't bad."

Optimus released his grip on him, refusing to say more. He walked over to the passenger side of his vehicle form and pulled out a suitcase. As he made his way inside the house with Jasmine's belongings, he knew that Jason would be curious about what he wished to discuss about. But he couldn't talk about it yet until Jasmine was asleep and out of earshot. What he had to talk about with him was something that he didn't want to get out in the open.

* * *

Jason sat quietly on his bed, fully dressed in thick jeans, a black turtleneck top, leather jacket, and leather boots. The watch on his left wrist told him it was close to midnight – the time he had to go outside and speak with Optimus.

Ten minutes ago, he had gone to check on Jasmine to see if she was awake or not. From the way how she had been still, it seemed that she was deeply asleep. Now he had spent the rest of the time waiting for it to be midnight.

_Beep, beep, beep, beep._

Jason glanced down at the watch that was illuminated in the gloom. Twelve o'clock, it read.

Sighing, he picked himself up off the bed and tiptoed past Jasmine's bedroom, down the stairs, and out the backyard door. He wasn't surprised to see Optimus parked in the exact same spot before he first revealed himself. From the way how the grass looked – having been treaded on by the massive tyres – Optimus had been sitting there for a while. How long, Jason didn't know.

Quietly, Jason took a seat on the familiar bench, watching Optimus with a curious eye.

For a moment, the Autobot commander didn't respond and Jason thought for sure that he was still in whatever the Autobots called sleep. His thoughts were soon dashed away when the vehicle's armour began to shift and slide, the legs coming first as they stood up tall and the front half of the vehicle coming up along as it became the arms, torso and head of his giant friend.

He would never grow tired of watching Optimus transform.

Picking himself up off the bench, he walked onto the grass and looked up at him, waiting for him to speak. Optimus seemed to get the message and he kneeled down to get on even ground with him, his bright blue eyes glowing in the bright moonlight, blinking twice as he switched on the headlights on his chest panels so that Jason could see better.

"I'm glad you came, Jason," Optimus said, his deep baritone voice lowering to a minimum so as to not be heard by Jasmine.

"Anything for a friend," the young man smiled. "What was it that you wanted to talk about between us that mustn't go unheard of by my sister? You know how much she hates secrets."

"I apologise for the secrecy, Jason," Optimus sighed, his facial expression stoic, but Jason knew that he was deeply troubled by something. "I have thinking about Jasmine since she came back from the hospital and..." He closed his eyes for a moment, then opening them again. The pupils in them shrinking and expanding with his emotions as he struggled to find the right words. "Ever since I became you and your sister's guardian, I had felt that my responsibility lay with you. But... it doesn't. That responsibility belongs to someone else."

Jason lifted an eyebrow. "I don't understand," he said, clearly confused by what his giant friend was saying. "What are you saying?" Jason asked.

Optimus pulled back and stood up to his full height, his eyes staring up at the starry night sky; they almost appeared to be twinkling in the moonlight. He seemed to be deep in thought as his right hand clutched onto something tightly.

He then shifted his gaze to the boy, the corners of his lips forming into a thin smile, his hand opening as he looked at the tiny object in the middle of his palm. "It is time that my guardianship to you be passed down to someone else."

The young man blinked, shocked by his words. "But, Jasmine is happy with you as her guardian!" he cried. "You can't just up and leave now!"

If Optimus was affected by Jason's outburst, he didn't show it. Instead, he answered in a calm manner, "While I have saved Jasmine from the clutches of the Decepticons, I have realised that she is not fully recovered from her ordeal with them. The time she had spent with them has inflicted deep wounds upon her spirit, wounds that are far too deep for me to heal."

"So you're just going to give up?" Jason demanded.

"No," Optimus replied, shaking his head firmly. "I am going to give Jasmine a way to believe again." He continued to look at the object in his hand. "By giving up this, I will do what I can to set her onto the path of recovery. I am putting mine and my people's future aside for Jasmine's own happiness."

Jason sighed, tears trickling down his cheeks. What he said next caught Optimus by surprise. "What did you have in mind? If you're going to leave us soon, then... who are you going to have guard me and my sister?"

The answer came simply, but hard and determined, "Come with me and I'll show you."


End file.
